


Entwined

by STARSdidathing



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Accidental Bonding, Developing Relationship, Dreams and Nightmares, Dreamsharing, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, Feels, Fluff, Foxes, Loki (Marvel) is Not Amused, M/M, Magic, Magical Accidents, Nightmares, Not Canon Compliant, Pining, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Spirit Animals, Tony Stark is not Amused, Wordcount: 10.000-30.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-02-27 16:51:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18743113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/STARSdidathing/pseuds/STARSdidathing
Summary: When a spell goes wrong, Loki and Tony find themselves with a problem. Their spirits were given free reign and without logic to stop them, magic and instinct took control. They're forced to work together and possibly admit that there might be something more between them than antagonism.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This idea has been around since _2016_ and I had been poking away at it for ages until I finally sat down and finished it at the beginning of last month. I'm really glad to have this off my list. I hope you all enjoy it! :)
> 
> Updates will be out once a week :)

* * *

_** Prologue ** _

* * *

When the magic erupted over New York it was with all the power of an explosion and a blast-radius that covered the entire city. Helicopters and everybody in the air managed to escape the damage as although it was widespread, it only went across the ground and over the first few floors of the buildings.

It had meant a quick and rapid evacuation of any of the people who still remained in the city.

It had also left New York quarantined by SHIELD and the few remaining Avengers as they waited for the effects of the spell to be reversed or to fade.

No one quite understood what had happened, and it was only later through the few accounts of people who were nearby and unaffected that SHIELD were able to piece at least some of it together.

A battle to save the city had been waging; the Avengers were in the centre while Loki, Stephen Strange and an unknown magic-user from space had been fighting each other as they tried to take possession of a magical artefact.

The three of them had been in the middle of a mostly deserted street when they had all interacted with the artefact at the exact wrong time; it had caused the reaction that had occurred, spreading the magic out and infecting every person that it touched.

What was left in each person’s place was something rarely seen or understood by mortals; it was something spiritual and primal and it left every person in the vicinity viewing the world from the eyes of the creature that they most connected with: the streets and buildings of New York were suddenly overrun by the animal essences that lingered within each person's hearts.

As the human mind disappeared and as instinct ran wild, the city became a playground for animals big and small - and it was there in the middle of a war torn battle field, that a red suit of armour opened to allow a red fox to tumble out and hurriedly right itself on the ground.

It sniffed carefully at the debris beneath it; catching a scent on the wind it couldn’t identify but desperately needed to follow. 

It abruptly shot off through the streets of New York and in the direction of the elusive scent. It scurried its way past a large swan flexing its wings by a circular shield. It completely ignored the penguin sitting underneath a floating red cape. 

The animal only stopped when it saw a black fox sniffing at two daggers that were lying on the concrete. The red fox’s tail flicked excitedly and it let out a loud, delighted yip. The black fox spun around to face the sound its own tail twitching before both foxes started to step closer to one another. 

When they reached each other, they sniffed one another curiously, their delight quickly becoming apparent as their yips increased. The black fox playfully pounced on the other and nipped it teasingly while the red fox was quick to pull the black fox into a mischievous tumble.

Eventually the red fox pulled away from the other, rubbing its face against the black fox briefly before jumping backwards and twitching its tail before darting away, pausing and then moving again - encouraging the black fox to make chase.

The black fox barked before hurrying after the other, a flare of something green and magical alighting in its eyes as it hurried to catch up with the fox it had chosen - the fox that it knew instinctively would be its mate.

Elsewhere throughout the city, SHIELD hurried to try and make sense of what was happening, trying desperately to find the missing Avengers while hastening to contain the more dangerous animals that had been created due to the magical blast.

Unknown to anyone, a hawk took flight from the top of a building, leaving the city behind. A white swan came across a dark grey swan with a strange, discoloured wing with a dark red mark in the centre, landing gently beside it. 

A lithe, female cheetah managed to remain undetected by a SHIELD agent as it stalked through New York’s back alleys. A large, fluffy dog similar to golden retriever yet somehow distinctly _different_ picked up the handle of a hammer in its mouth and happily trotted away in search of something to eat.

But more importantly, dashing into Central Park, two foxes ran and played together with increasing happiness and joy, rubbing their scent into each other’s fur and listening to the call of their souls that had found and chosen the perfect half to match their own.

The green of magic flickered around them as they frolicked and searched for a place in the parkland to call their new home; and when night eventually fell and they had curled up together with the one that they would remain with for the rest of their life, a different, smaller burst of magic fell over the two sleeping foxes.

It was an old, powerful magic, something that could only be performed by a mage and by the will of both participants, and lost to the instincts of their spirits, of the desire the foxes had to be together forever - in the course of one moment; Loki Liesmith and Tony Stark were bonded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am playing extremely fast and loose with canon here, but, roughly:
> 
>  **Avengers** happened and Loki went back to Asgard but escaped and has been causing mischief and “terror” on Earth more or less ever since.
> 
>  **Thor 2 & 3 (and anything after)** did not happen, additionally, Frigga lives ‘cause I said so.
> 
>  **Age of Ultron** did not happen; there is no Bruce/Natasha or Wanda and Pietro or fracturing Avengers. Also, SHIELD still exists, just a better, HYDRA-free version.
> 
>  **Civil War** did not happen: Bucky is a part of the Avengers, Black Panther+ is not involved in this fic and all is well with the team. It’s basically the happy fandom tower life we used to enjoy before MCU made 70% of the Tony Stark fandom hate Steve.
> 
>  **Stephen Strange** is ~around but as I have not seen the movie, knowledge and his involvement will be limited. (I just needed another magic-user and couldn’t resist turning him into a penguin, tbh XD)
> 
> ... And I think that’s it?? They should give you a rough idea of this universe. Mostly it’s here because I originally came up with this idea before Civil War came out? When everyone ignored Ultron and/or Thor 2 whenever we wanted? Soooo yes, heh, that’s the breakdown of things. Let me know if you have other questions about the universe but hopefully it should be easy to follow in the story :)
> 
>  **EDIT:** THE GORGEOUS FOX ART IN THE CHAPTER IS DONE BY THE AMAZING **RABENTOCHTER**!! LOOK AT THESE ADORABLE FOX BBS I LOOOOOVE THEM SO MUCH. SHE'S SO TALENTED!!!!  
> Go give her some love on her tumblr art post [here](https://rabentochter.tumblr.com/post/185538793324/the-green-of-magic-flickered-around-them-as-they)!!!


	2. Chapter 2

Tony woke with a pounding headache and the very prevalent smell of dirt far too close to his face. He jerked up into a sitting position only to find himself getting slapped with leaves and twigs.

“What the _fuck?_ ” He asked out loud, spitting out a leaf and looking around. He quickly realised he was squished under the branches of low hanging foliage and was lying in the middle of undergrowth. He was in the undersuit from the Iron Man armour at least-- _thank god_ \--but he still didn’t want to imagine how many insects might have bitten him.

Tony rolled and crawled out from beneath the bushes and found he wasn’t far from a path - a _familiar_ path. He was in Central Park.

Tony looked around with more than a little concern, especially when he could see a few other people stumbling around with similar bamboozled expressions. Hell, was someone actually climbing down from a _tree?_

Tony very much wanted to know what the _hell_ was going on. The last thing he remembered was fighting the random alien-space-mage, trying not to get stabbed by Loki the more common alien-space-mage and hoping that Stephen Strange would actually manage to have a chance in hell at beating, if not Loki, then at least the newcomer. 

Everything after that was just... blank. He didn’t even know what day it was anymore since they had been fighting around midday and this was most definitely early morning. 

It also didn’t help that he had the nagging feeling he was missing something; not a piece of information or tech but _something_.

He rubbed a hand against his chest, feeling an ache and hoping like hell it wasn’t some kind of side-effect from managing to get rid of the arc reactor. It had been months now and he seemed fine. Besides this felt more... emotional than physical, which was even more confusing.

Tony just did his best to ignore it as he activated the homing beacon on his bracelet, unsure why it hadn’t been _on_ in the first place. He really hoped that JARVIS wasn’t too far away and that he could tell him what the hell was going on and where everybody else was.

Thankfully, he only had to wait about five minutes for the suit to become visible, but Tony spent that entire time rubbing his chest and shifting on his feet as something inside him just... _ached_. He did his best not to think about it and focus instead on recalling the fight and trying to work out what he was missing. It didn’t stop the deep-seated tension from forming deep in his back and shoulders.

When JARVIS finally arrived, Tony let the suit form around him, sighing as the safety of the armour cocooned him. “Hey J,” he said warmly, “what have I missed?”

JARVIS didn’t answer him directly, instead enquiring, quite calmly, “Did you enjoy your time as a fox, sir?”

Tony stilled, the repulsors half-charged and his feet still resting on the ground as he tried to understand what had just been said to him. He didn’t get very far.

“I was a fox?” he asked blankly. 

JARVIS responded by pulling up footage of Tony-the-fox tumbling out of the Iron Man suit, righting himself, looking around and suddenly just fucking _darting off_ to who knew where. The next clip was in a different part of the city with a timestamp from a good ten minutes later and it showed a red fox rushing into Central Park, chasing a black blur of... something; another fox? A different animal? Tony couldn’t tell.

“You were rather adept at hiding yourself,” JARVIS remarked, sounding somewhere between amused and frustrated. “I assisted SHIELD, Dr Banner, Mr Wilson and Colonel Rhodes in your absence. We removed the more dangerous animals from the city and evacuated the citizens who were not affected by the spell.”

Tony blinked. “Everyone else turned into an animal?”

“Yes,” JARVIS agreed. “You have been a fox for almost two days. We are currently searching for the other missing Avengers. Thor returned to the tower in the earlier hours of the morning when the spell’s effects ceased. It appears that Agent Romanov was the cheetah that was captured by SHIELD yesterday afternoon. I have also received confirmation some minutes ago that Dr Strange has recovered and returned to his home.”

“What about the guy we were fighting? What about Loki?” Tony asked.

“We believe they were also turned into animals, but with most of the population of New York equally transformed, we could not begin to know where everyone was and what they became.” JARVIS paused for a moment, but when he continued his voice was dry. “I have discovered a new appreciation for your distaste in owning pets, sir.”

Tony winced as a whole host of images flooded his mind. “Yeah, sounds like you had a lot of fun there, J. Thanks for holding the fort.”

“Of course, sir,” JARVIS told him simply and it made Tony smile.

He also powered up the repulors and darted into the air, making a direct line for Avenger Tower and hoping that Steve, Clint and Bucky would have gotten in contact by the time he arrived. Tony didn’t like to think about the fact that with Natasha as a _cheetah_ \--and who knew how many other dangerous creatures out there--that more than a few people might have become prey.

Tony really, really hoped that no one he knew had been caught and eaten.

 _Oh god_ , Tony thought, his stomach suddenly rolling, _what the hell might I have eaten for two days?_

But he resolutely shook his head and pushed the thought away. _Not going to think about it_. There were more important things to concentrate on, like where the hell were the bad guys, where the hell was the magical device and then, maybe, if Tony had time, finding out if any of the Avengers had turned into something embarrassing so that he could tease them about it for the rest of the year.

Still, priorities: “What happened to the magical artefact?”

“Colonel Rhodes took possession of it,” his AI answered promptly. “It is secured in your tower and Thor plans to take it to Asgard once he is assured of the team’s safety.”

Right, that was good. “Any luck finding our magical assholes?”

“I have informed you that Dr Strange is now in his home,” JARVIS answered, making Tony grin. “Loki’s energy signature was briefly detected when the spell dispersed, but not long enough for his location to be pinpointed.”

“He probably teleported the hell out of here when he woke up.”

JARVIS’ dismissal of the topic spoke of his agreement. “Dr Banner and I are scanning New York in an attempt to locate the other mage.”

“Alright, well, let’s see if I can do better,” Tony said with an arrogant smirk and wink as Avenger Tower became visible in the distance.

He could almost hear JARVIS’ exasperated sigh and it only made Tony chuckle. He reached the tower shortly after and quickly landed. JARVIS automatically started removing the armour from him as he made his way inside. When he was in the penthouse and the suit was being sent down to the lab, he headed to his room. Although a part of Tony was craving a shower, the engineer knew that could always wait until later. He settled for changing out of his dirt-covered undersuit and into a clean shirt and jeans. 

Tony left his penthouse for the lab, finding Bruce smiling at him with both fondness and relief. “Nice to see you again.”

“Yeah, apparently I was a fox, who’d have guessed?”

“I had thought a peacock would be more fitting,” Bruce said with a small, teasing smile.

Tony only grinned as he came to stand beside the other man, pulling up a screen and checking the search criteria. “Heard you missed out on the animal lucky dip?”

“Yeah, a few of us weren’t on the ground at the time,” Bruce answered absently while looking over the information on the screen. It looked to be data on the captured not-animals; scans and a couple of blood samples.

“Disappointed? Pleased? Was there pouting from all corners at missing out on the experience?”

“I don’t think I need another transformation, Tony,” Bruce told him wryly.

“Awh, but it could have been fun. We could have been fox bros!”

Bruce looked over at Tony with a smile. “I’m not sure I would have been a fox.” His expression changed into something thoughtful. “The choice looked random on the surface, but I spoke to Stephen, he thinks it was more of an internal trigger; that we all carry a certain marker within us, something that allowed a specific animal to be chosen.”

Tony narrowed his eyes, not quite believing he was actually going to say it, but, “Are you trying to tell me that he thinks we became some kind of _spirit_ animal?”

Wincing a little, Bruce gave a small, helpless shrug and offered, “Magic?”

Tony curled his lip in distaste, his voice coming out petulant as he grumbled, “I hate that word.”

Bruce just patted his back. “If it’s any consolation, Stephen turned into a penguin.”

“He did?” Tony asked, automatically perking up as he giddily imagined the magic-user as a fluffy, wobbly bird. “What kind?” When Bruce just shrugged again, Tony demanded, “JARVIS, come on buddy, I know you’re not going to let me down. You’re going to find a picture of the Waddling Magician for me, aren’t you?”

“How about instead of teasing Stephen you focus on finding the mage who helped cause all this?” Bruce questioned sardonically.

Tony just poked the other man in the shoulder. “Multi-tasking, Brucie!”

Bruce just shook his head, fighting down a smile as he turned back to what he was doing. Tony also moved back to focusing on his screen, but even though the conversation had been a distraction the _ache_ from earlier was still continuing to rest over his chest - over his _heart_. He brought a hand up before he could think; rubbing his chest and wishing it would go away.

“Tony?” Bruce asked, sounding concerned. The engineer’s hand froze on his chest as he looked over at the other scientist. Bruce was watching him carefully. “Are you alright?”

Tony smiled tightly and dropped his hand. “Yeah. Indigestion,” Tony deflected. “Trying not to think about _why_ I might have it, you know?”

Bruce winced in sympathy but otherwise left the topic alone. Tony just tried to focus back on searching for the missing mage as well as any kind of signal from the other Avengers.

And if the pain continued to plague him, well, he might have quietly got JARVIS to check his vitals when Bruce wasn’t looking just to make sure he was okay. But Tony was fine; no problems, no issues. There was nothing to worry about.

Well, nothing but the faint pain in his chest and the constant niggling feeling that he was missing something. Tony just didn’t know what the hell it was supposed to be.

Did he bury some bones as a fox that his lingering instincts kept telling him he needed to retrieve?

 _It’s something more important than that_ , Tony’s mind tried to tell him, but he pushed it firmly to the side. What the hell could be more important than making sure the city was safe? Everything else was just going to have to wait.

And if he continued to absently rub his chest over the next hour as he looked for more signs of the mage, at least JARVIS and Bruce were polite enough not to mention it to him, even if they did exchange worried messages outside of Tony's sight.

* * *

It was two hours after Tony got back to the tower that the team called a debriefing. Thankfully, all of the Avengers had made it back unharmed and they collected in the conference room to go over, not only Bruce and Tony’s findings, but what had happened during the last two days.

It turned out that ‘not much’ was basically the answer.

Rhodey and Sam had spent their time running around the city trying to get the few dangerous animals contained, evacuating civilians and capturing any animals they could to put them in the safety of a cage until the spell wore off. Bruce, on the other hand, had spent his time trying to work out what was going on and looking after the transformed humans that had ended up confined in cells by SHIELD. 

There was a fun exchange of stories and memories from the Avengers who had been turned into animals. Steve and Bucky had been transformed into swans and had made themselves at home on the Hudson. It had sounded perfectly innocent until Sam had mentioned spotting two swans swimming along with their necks in a heart. Steve had tried not to flush at the ensuing teasing while Bucky had just smirked smugly.

The topic had quickly moved onto Clint who had wistfully mentioned flying over New York and making his way out of the city and into the countryside nearby. He’d been turned into a hawk and had greatly enjoyed being able to fly.

Natasha didn’t speak much about her time as a cheetah, mostly because she didn’t remember a lot and because she was captured by SHIELD and mostly spent her time prowling around her cage. 

Thor, by comparison, had spoken at great length about the Asgardian dog he had turned into. He had formed a pack with other dogs that he had found. He had been the alpha of the pack and when he had woken up he had discovered that while a few of his packmates had been humans the others were true stray dogs.

Thor had helped the humans find their way back to their apartments and was pleased to learn that they would be adopting the animal packmates they had made. Thor planned to go and visit them all in the coming days, firmly considering them to be ‘ _friends of his soul_ ’.

When it came to be Tony’s turn he found there wasn’t much to say. He knew he was a fox because JARVIS had told him, and he knew he’d made a home in Central Park because he’d woken up there. He still told what he knew and no one seemed concerned; Thor, after all, had been the only one with truly clear memories and they assumed that had to do with him being Asgardian, the rest of them all had bits and pieces at best.

Tony was a little disappointed that all he had was a blank slate, but, well, he supposed it could have been worse. The last thing he wanted to remember was killing and eating a mouse or something. He shuddered a little at the thought.

He did find that the more he tried to think about what happened and to get any kind of memory, the ache in his chest got worse. Tony had found himself rubbing his chest almost constantly.

“Stark,” Natasha called, her voice sharp and making Tony freeze before looking over at her. Natasha’s eyes dropped instantly to his chest before back to his face, concern in her eyes. The room had gone quiet as everyone’s attention swung to Tony. “Is something wrong?”

Tony tried not to snatch his hand away from his chest and make everyone even more worried. 

“JARVIS says I’m fine,” he started with, hoping to assuage any alarm. “And he’s monitoring me in case anything happens.”

“But something’s wrong?” Rhodey quickly focused on, his eyes narrowed.

Tony just sent him a smile, honestly touched to see everyone in the room genuinely concerned about his health. “Just an ache, like I’m missing something. Damn fox probably buried some food it wants me to go back and pick up.”

That, at least, seemed to break some of the tension.

Thor also nodded. “I crave the company of my packmates even now. It does not ache in my breast, but it makes me wish to seek them out and keep them close.”

“I’d kill to go flying again,” Clint announced with a hint of longing. “I still feel like I have wings on my back, just waiting to be spread.”

Tony smiled and went to speak when suddenly the feeling in his chest changed. His eyes widened and he gasped; it felt like something was scratching inside him desperate to get out. He pressed his hands against the table as the feeling intensified and the ache sharpened until there was nothing else he could focus on.

He felt a hand on his back and vaguely heard people calling his name, but Tony couldn’t do anything but stare down at his chest until suddenly there was _light_ coming from it; orange and gold and red before the colours jumped out of him, elegant and beautiful and very clearly a _fox_.

Tony just stared, utterly and completely shocked as the creature made entirely of energy and light stood on the table and tilted its head at Tony. It made a small yipping sound as if in greeting before it was looking around the room at everybody present. When it reached the last person, it seemed to slump, its ears pressing against its head and its tail curling around its body as it began to whine. They were sad and sorrowful noises as it looked back at Tony as if asking him to fix whatever problem was making it distressed.

Tony was just gaping, utterly stunned and with no idea what to do.

“That creature holds some of my brother’s magic within it,” Thor suddenly announced, the words something Tony did _not_ want to hear. He looked at the thunder god to find Thor looking as confused as Tony was. “Did you befriend Loki in your animal state?”

“I... I don’t know?” Tony admitted, looking between the still whining fox and everyone else in the room; they were all staring at the fox in varying levels of suspicion and astonishment.

Thor had stood upon the fox’s appearance but he nodded solemnly at Tony’s words. “I will seek out Loki and see if he knows what has been done.”

“You are kidding, right?” Clint demanded, gesturing at the fox. “It’s probably _him_ who’s done whatever the hell this is!”

But Thor was already shaking his head. “Loki would not allow another to hold his magic like this. It would be like giving an enemy not just your weapon but your very hand. This is not of Loki’s doing.”

“You think it has something to do with the spell that hit us?” Steve questioned. 

“Yes,” Thor agreed. “Perhaps he and Stark crossed paths. Perhaps the spell did more to my brother than it did to us.” He frowned. “I will see what I can learn from him and convince him to come to the tower to reverse it.”

Thor had started to walk towards the door, but stopped when Clint called, “Wait, you want to invite him _here?_ ”

“He will not attack when so surrounded,” Thor explained, “and he may be the only one who can dismiss this apparition.”

Natasha raised her eyebrow. “And you think he’ll just show up?”

“He will wish to regain his magic,” Thor stated simply. “My brother is unpredictable in many things, but not when it comes to the protection of his seidr.”

Tony could sense more arguments coming, but the fox was still crying, his chest was still _aching_ like a piece of him was ripped loose, and frankly, if Loki could solve the damn problem and get rid of the damn fox, he could stay for a fucking sleepover.

“Get your brother,” Tony gritted out. “Do it fast.”

His words managed to shut everyone up and Thor left with a tight nod and a fast pace. 

“Come on,” Bruce said softly, making Tony realise it was the scientist who was behind him, pressing a soothing hand to his back. “Let’s get you up to the penthouse. You’ll be more comfortable and that way Loki won’t get too far into the tower.”

Smiling a little tightly, Tony didn’t argue as he was helped from his chair. He wasn’t exactly incapable of walking, the pain in his chest was much the same as before, only now he had a freakin’ energy construct jumping down to walk at his ankles, crying softly and brushing against his leg.

It was a little like being brushed by a static-electricity cat. It tingled even if it still _felt_ like fur. It was basically just confusing and impossible and fucking _magic_ and Tony was already getting a headache from the situation.

Getting up to the penthouse was easy enough and Bruce didn’t leave his side the entire time, the rest of the team also came up after short detours to get their weapons. Bruce made him a coffee, Sam brought him a tablet and everyone set up somewhere in the penthouse to wait for the demi-gods to arrive.

At least, Tony _hoped_ Thor could not only find Loki but convince the capricious trickster to show up and help.

But without anything better to do, Tony had JARVIS scan the woeful looking fox that had curled up beside Tony on the couch. It was basically just pure energy and while it did have a noticeable amount of Loki’s signature, it also had something that JARVIS somehow registered as purely _Tony_. 

Bruce had quickly called Stephen who had popped in for a lovely and disconcerting chat.

He basically summed up that, while it wasn’t the same as a magical signature--as Tony didn’t have magic--it was more that there was some innate energy that Tony, and humans in general, gave off that the fox, being a part of Tony, did too.

It brought them annoyingly back to _spirit animals_ which Tony still had trouble buying.

Stephen also explained that whatever had happened during the course of the spell, Tony’s essence had formed some kind of bond with Loki’s magic. He seemed both puzzled and fascinated by it. He couldn’t tell them more though as every time he tried to approach the fox it growled at Stephen, it’s fur standing on end as it crackled with angry energy. The shock on the sorcerer’s face the first time it happened would normally have made Tony smile, but the agitation from the fox, combined with the pain in his chest ended up having Tony tell Stephen to _back the fuck off_.

It basically left them with more questions than answers and Tony was honestly grateful when Stephen left with one final perturbed look at Tony’s fox.

On the upside, Tony had been able to make a few penguin jokes about the sorcerer to lift his mood.

When another hour had passed with no sign of the mage, Tony had resorted to attempting to tune out the pain in his chest, the occasional whine from the fox, and the conversations of the Avengers as they all waited for Thor.

Tony had been reading over some contracts for SI on the tablet Sam had brought him when something had instinctively made Tony look over at the balcony. He found himself standing to, noticing that the fox had moved to stand with two paws on the arm of the couch as it looked in the same direction as Tony, its tail flicking excitedly. It was only a few seconds later that Thor appeared with Loki standing beside him, the mage having obviously teleported them.

The trickster was in full battle armour, scowling and looking utterly furious. He also had a fox of green and black energy sitting at his side. The moment that the two foxes saw each other they were rushing forward and towards one other. JARVIS automatically opened the door for them and the two foxes came together just inside the penthouse with glee; rubbing against each other’s fur and yipping happily.

Tony felt the ache in his chest leave abruptly, his shoulders dropping from the sudden release of tension as warmth and contentment rushed through his body, making the very tips of his fingers tingle. 

He also managed to see Loki react with a similar slump of relief.

Their eyes quickly locked and Tony saw the same shock and horror on Loki’s face that he knew would be present on his own.

 _Oh, fuck_ , Tony thought, _what fresh new bullshit is this?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sneak some time for an update*
> 
> *sheepishly looks at the pile of comments she needs to reply to*
> 
> 😅😅😅😅
> 
> I'll get there! I promise! But, for now, enjoy the update!

The answer to that? A lot of bullshit.

The two foxes were cuddling in the middle of the penthouse; there was no other word for what they were doing. The foxes were curled up and nuzzling each other like it was the best thing in the world and Tony could feel their satisfaction and joy as if it was his own.

It was not a good sign.

Loki looked equally unimpressed; he was standing just inside the room, his arms crossed as he glared at the two animals. He was completely ignoring the bow Clint was pointing at him and the gun Natasha had drawn - even if she wasn’t aiming it directly at Loki yet. The mage was far more concerned with looking at the foxes as if they had deeply offended him.

Steve--ever polite, ever trying to make things go smoothly--broke the silence, “Thank you for coming, Loki.”

Loki sent the captain an irritated glare while Tony just scoffed. It was blindingly obvious that Loki was only present because it was in his best interests to figure out what the hell was going on and how to solve it.

The sound made Loki’s attention snap to Tony, his emerald gaze holding Tony’s own and making the engineer swallow at the weight of it. Tony was not comforted to feel his body _tingle_ as he looked at the mage. He felt drawn to Loki, like everything would be better if he just walked over and rested his forehead against the other man’s shoulder.

It was deeply, _deeply_ unnerving. 

Tony made sure to squash the desire down deep even as he asked with no nicknames, no sass, just pure request, “What the hell happened, Loki?”

He half expected the trickster to ignore him, but Loki kept their gazes locked even as he answered, his voice a little stiff, “Something that I plan to undo.”

“That wasn’t an answer,” Natasha stated.

“No,” Loki remarked, breaking their eye-contact and looking at the agent with a sharp smile. “It wasn’t, but what occurred is not something easily explained, Agent Romanov.”

“Stephen Strange says there’s some kind of connection between you and Tony,” Steve summarised simply, making Loki’s upper lip curl.

Loki’s eyes did drop tellingly to the two foxes where his distaste only seemed to intensify. When he spoke next, his voice was flat and unimpressed, “That amateur with his trinkets would not be a source I would trust.”

“Yeah, if it weren’t for our foxes _cuddling_ in the middle of the room,” Tony rebutted, not willing to stand for that crap.

Loki’s jaw clenched and his next words were admitted grudgingly, “There is a... connection between us; a tangle in our spirits, but I will not allow it to remain that way for long, Stark.”

“What do you plan to do?” Rhodey asked, eying Loki suspiciously. “And what does it mean for Tony in the meantime?”

Loki looked irritated and impatient by the question, sending Rhodey a glare. “What I do is none of your concern. I will end this connection with Stark and he will merely need to survive the displacement in the meantime.”

A lot of questions followed Loki’s decree:

“What do you mean displacement?” Bruce asked.

“Loki, you said you would speak of what has occurred!” Thor argued.

“Oh yeah, like we’re going to fucking trust you,” Clint sniped.

Loki grit his teeth and Tony could see it coming and tried to stop it, “Hey, wait-”

But Loki, it seemed, was done being civil and putting up with the Avengers questions. He did flick his gaze to Tony at hearing his protest, but it didn’t stop him from using a swirl of magic to pull himself from the tower, taking his fox with him.

The abrupt _yank_ of Loki’s fox leaving was enough to buckle Tony’s knees and he almost dropped to the floor; he still ended up bent over himself, his hands on his knees as he let out a harsh gasp. The sound was lost under the sound of his fox crying into the space where Loki’s had disappeared. 

Tony just tried to catch his breath; the initial stab of agony was fading back to the familiar, longing ache of before. His fox was also circling the area Loki’s had vanished from; sniffing at the floor and batting at the air, whining when Loki’s fox didn’t come back.

Tony just struggled back into a standing position feeling Bruce and Rhodey’s hands on him. He did his best to bat them off and wave off their questions as to whether he was alright. It was harder to ignore everyone else’s concerned and frustrated looks. 

“We have to see if Stephen can help,” Steve said, glancing between Bruce and Thor. “I don’t trust Loki.”

“None of us do,” Natasha stated. “But he seemed just as unhappy about the situation. If it’s in his best interests to undo this, he will.”

“Aye,” Thor agreed with a nod. “Loki will go to great lengths to see his goals achieved. If he does not wish to be joined to Stark, he will see it undone.”

“He just won’t _tell us_ what he’s doing,” Clint growled, clenching and unclenching his bow. “I don’t like putting any stock in him helping Tony.”

“We don’t have a choice,” Rhodey said, his hand still on Tony’s shoulder despite Tony’s earlier attempts to shrug it off. “We’ll just try to solve it on our end and keep Tony safe in the meantime.” He looked over at Thor. “You found Loki quickly enough, if we need you to, can you find him again?”

Thor grimaced and admitted, “My ease in finding my brother was not a victory I can claim. Loki knew of the connection to Stark, he wished to enter this tower as much as we wanted him brought.”

Tony couldn’t help his harsh, bitter laugh. “Five bucks said Loki learnt more out of this expedition than we did. _Ten bucks_ said he only fucked off when he got what he came for.”

It said a lot about their dealings with the Trickster God, that no one took either of Tony’s bets.

* * *

While they did speak more about Loki, his connection with Tony, and the sad energy-fox sitting at the engineer’s feet; the group eventually decided there was little they could do about the situation.

Tony and Bruce made their way down to the lab in order to try and work out what the fox was made of and if they could register Loki’s magic on Tony and untangle it. The rest of the team either went to help SHIELD with the cleanup of New York or tried to search for the missing magic-user.

Tony spent most of the day in the lab learning absolutely nothing other than that his fox decided his lap was a good place to sit. It looked up at him with big, sad eyes while Tony tried to ignore the intended guilt-trip and the strange static warmth against his thighs. After all, it wasn’t like _he_ was to blame for what was happening.

Reports from the team were relayed to him and Bruce through JARVIS: the clean up was going well, Thor had managed to find the magic-user wrapped up in tight chains against a telephone pole (Loki’s doing, by all accounts) and had taken him to SHIELD for a brief interrogation before he would be taken to Asgard the following morning.

He and Bruce had stopped working to watch the questioning; but it turned out that the magic-user had even less of an idea about what was going on than they did. He hadn’t been responsible for the animal spell and he had no idea about the additional one that had affected Loki and Tony. The mage almost seemed relieved he would be going off-world, therefore keeping him out of Loki’s still furious grasp. It only gave further credence to the idea that whatever had happened, Loki wasn’t responsible.

The whole thing--combined with that ever-present throbbing in his breast and the sighing, crying fox at his side--had Tony feeling frustrated and tired. Bruce was the one who forced him to have something to eat and to take a break from trying to catalogue and categorize the energy signatures inside the fox. He was also the one who suggested that he have an early night when Tony couldn’t stop rubbing a hand over his chest.

Grudgingly, Tony had been forced to agree, especially when JARVIS pointed out that he’d been staring at the current scans for five minutes with unfocused eyes. 

Rubbing a hand across his face, Tony had shooed the fox off his lap before heading up to the penthouse, leaving Bruce in the lab. The fox had trailed behind him quietly, its tail and ears drooping. Its gaze was constantly rising to look at Tony sorrowfully; begging him to fix what was hurting them both. Tony could only sigh and mutter to the fox, “Buddy, I would if I could.”

The fox just seemed to wilt further at his words while Tony did his best to ignore it as he made his way to his bedroom.

The fox continued to follow him like a bright shadow; into the bathroom, into the closet, onto the _bed_. It dropped down at his side, its head resting on his hip and staring up at Tony. He sighed again before bringing down his hand to cautiously pet the creature’s head. It was an... odd sensation; the fox had a similar consistency to water but Tony felt like his hand was touching static. The fox seemed to like the attention however as it butted against his hand. The pain in his chest didn’t disappear but it seemed almost... dulled as he petted the fox.

Tony just turned his gaze to look at the ceiling; the fox was giving off a fiery glow that was as strong as the arc-reactor had been. It made Tony quirk a small smile. _Good thing Pepper and I broke up months ago; she’d have hated the new nightlight._

He was also glad that she was currently in Europe and had escaped any of the spell’s fallout. The last thing he wanted was to see her in a similar mess to him - not that Pepper would handle it with anything other than elegance and poise, but Tony was still glad to see her safe and unharmed. They might not be a couple, they might not be in love anymore, but it didn’t mean that Tony didn’t still care for her as a friend.

Closing his eyes, Tony kept his hand on the fox as he thought about Pepper’s reaction to the situation, enjoying the idea of her walking in with an iron fist and a glare as she demanded resolution and the correct paperwork. Pepper would have the spell undone within hours as everyone would be too terrified not to comply.

Chuckling softly, Tony took great pleasure imagining her putting the fear of god into SHIELD, Stephen Strange and the captured magic-user. He didn’t let his mind turn to Loki, to the foxes and to the all-too-real situation he was trapped in; he liked imagining the unrealistic one with Pepper, and it was an easy thing to keep his mind occupied by as he slowly fell asleep.

But it didn’t take long for him to start dreaming.

He was in a forest; larger than anything he’d ever seen. It was dark and unnerving, but standing before him like streaks of flame was his fox. It was yipping and barking at him; _follow me; quickly, you must follow me._

The demand was insistent, rattling though his mind and pulling at something deep inside him until Tony found himself stepping forward; he found himself _running_ as the fox bounded and sprinted over tree roots and brambles while Tony hurried to keep up and keep the fox in sight.

 _Follow me, follow me_ , the voice kept saying, _we can’t stay here, we can’t be lost, we can’t be kept away. Follow me, follow me._

The forest was dark and impenetrable on all sides, the only source of light the glow of the fox as it forced him to keep going and never pause. But Tony could feel something deep inside him straining with the need to get to where they were going; he couldn’t have stopped if he tried. 

It felt like he had been running for hours, like there would never be an end in sight; but finally, up in the distance he saw a green light. The fox made a sound of pure happiness and Tony felt it deep inside himself; he felt his own excitement rise as he put on a burst of speed to get towards the light up ahead.

His fox leapt into the clearing and Tony was moments behind, batting away the leaves and branches that tried to keep him out. Tony saw the way his red fox tackled a green and black one in the middle of the clearing. [The creatures were yipping and nuzzling happily](https://sunup-artist.tumblr.com/post/186307138922/fan-art-for-amazing-frostiron-fic-entwined-by); their glee so at odds with the damaged area; there were numerous scratch marks littering the bark of the trees while holes had been dug in the ground as the fox had tried and failed to find its way out of the clearing. 

Yet, Tony found his gaze travelling to the left. Loki was standing there looking exhausted and drained; as if all his energy had been spent trying to keep their foxes apart - trying to keep Tony at bay.

Tony moved before he could think, walking towards Loki who took his own halting steps forward. Tony couldn’t keep his eyes off the other man as he raised his hand and Loki mirrored him. It was only their fingertips that touched, a small, harmless connection of their hands but one that sent a shockwave of _yes, this, more, now, us, forever, happy_ through them both in the voices of their foxes and their _own_ voices. Their chests ached with the pleasure and contentment of the touch.

It was enough to make Tony gasp. It was enough to make Loki flinch.

Their hands broke apart and Loki’s teeth were gritted and his fists were clenched. He glared at Tony with such _fury_ before he shouted, “Get _out_.”

The next thing Tony knew, green magic was being flung at him and he was falling backwards, out of the clearing, out of the trees; he felt like he was falling off a cliff, his fox in the air above him, crying in pain as its feet scrabbled against nothing and the ground rushed up towards them both. 

Tony woke before he could hit the rocks below; jerking up in bed, panting and sweating as his heart raced and his body shivered with adrenaline.

His fox was standing up and looking at him with wounded and disappointed eyes. Tony just lifted his shaking hand to stare at it; his fingertips were still tingling. He didn’t need anyone to tell him; he already knew that it had been Loki - the _real_ Loki in his dream.Stephen Strange had mentioned dreamsharing a few times; warning everyone about the potential threat. He’d done his best to protect all of them against unwanted people in their heads, but whatever the hell had happened to them, it was bypassing Stephen’s protections. 

_Probably because his fox **wanted** Loki there_; Tony’s mind chimed in. _Loki hadn’t been an unwanted guest, not to the fox._

“ _Shit_ ,” Tony hissed, bringing the hand that _hadn’t_ touched Loki to rub across his face.

“Sir?” JARVIS enquired, sounding concerned.

Tony just let out a rough laugh. “Bad dream. _Really_ bad dream.”

So bad, that he needed a very strong drink. 

Pushing back the sheets, Tony made his way out of his room and towards the bar; the chill of the floor against his feet was a balm on his otherwise heated skin. His singlet and sleep pants felt heavy and oppressive but he knew he’d cool down quickly and only end up shivering if he took them off now.

“Sir,” JARVIS said when Tony reached the bar and started hunting for a bottle and a glass. “May I recommend coffee if you intend to remain awake at this hour?”

“What time is it?” Tony asked, neatly sidestepping the request.

“Two eighteen in the morning, Sir.”

 _Huh, almost four hours_ , that was better then what he got most days. Pouring the bourbon into a glass, Tony didn’t bother pulling up a seat; he just leant against the bar and took a long, calming sip, doing his best not to let his hand shake. 

How was this his life?

His energy-fox was lying at his feet. He’d just shared a dream with Loki. He’d almost held hands with his enemy. _Yup_ , Tony thought, pouring himself another glass. _Time to get blackout drunk._

He was just lifting his second glass to his lips when the last thing in the fucking world he wanted happened; green and gold energy sliced a hole through the air in the middle of his penthouse. Loki stepped out of it a moment later, his hair a mess, his clothing little more than pyjamas and his fox at his feet.

He looked exhausted, angry and entirely fucking done with his night. He looked exactly how Tony felt.

Loki zeroed his attention on Tony, completely ignoring their cuddling foxes - completely ignoring the way all the tension, all the pain had automatically eased at being in each other’s presence.

“[We need to talk, Stark](https://sunup-artist.tumblr.com/post/186307141727/fan-art-for-entwined-by-starsdidathing-part-2),” Loki told him, looking like he wasn’t about to take no for an answer and like he was ready to take on an entire battalion if that’s what it took to get his way.

In response to Loki’s appearance and demand, Tony probably should have said no. He also probably should have called his suit, alerted the Avengers and phoned Stephen Strange for good measure. 

What he _did_ do was reach beneath the bar for another glass while stating, “Great. Wonderful. So, do you want a drink then? Because I think we’re both going to need it.”

Instead of blasting him in the face with magic like Tony half expected or saying something lordly and sarcastic, Loki just flicked his eyes to their foxes, to the alcohol and finally to Tony. 

Loki looked weary and resigned and when he finally answered it was to softly concur, “Yes, Stark, I rather think we _will_ need it.”

And gaining such an agreement about the situation from Loki of all people? That really proved how utterly fucked they both were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The gorgeous artwork linked in the text is by **beautifulmask** and can be found [here](https://sunup-artist.tumblr.com/post/186307138922/fan-art-for-amazing-frostiron-fic-entwined-by) if you missed the link. GO GIVE THEM SOME LOVE FOR THEIR ADORABLE, PRECIOUS DRAWINGS ♥___♥


	4. Chapter 4

Tony had to admit he was both nervous and discomforted as he poured the trickster god a drink and pushed it across the bar to where Loki had sat down. In pyjamas. To talk to him.

Loki waited until Tony had let the glass go and retracted his hand before he picked it up, brought it to his lips and took a sip. His expression was thoughtful as he trialled the taste, but he seemed to find it acceptable as he swallowed the mouthful and kept the glass in his hand when he lowered it back to the bar.

“Know this, Stark,” Loki told him, holding Tony’s gaze intently. “I am still your enemy and I still have no compunction with killing you in the midst of battle.” Tony stiffened. He couldn’t help it, but Loki was already making a dismissive gesture with his free hand, as if waving away the threat in his words. “However, this spell complicates matters. Therefore, while I refuse to associate with your pitiful team or my brother; I _will_ extend a truce to you until this spell can be dealt with.”

If Tony hadn’t of been leaning against the bar, he was sure he would have fallen over. “A _truce?_ ”

Loki grimaced. “I will need your cooperation if I am to reverse this; therefore, I am willing to offer a temporary peace and vow not to harm you during the reversal process.”

“And I’m supposed to take your word for it?” Tony asked incredulously.

Loki made another dismissive gesture. “Thor will confirm the binding nature of the vow I will perform.”

Oh, and how Tony _wished_ Thor hadn’t flown off to see Jane before his departure to Asgard in the morning. Still, it was better than Thor _already being on Asgard_ and therefore uncontactable. 

“JARVIS,” Tony demanded, not taking his eyes off the mischief god. “Call Thor for me.”

Loki just took another sip of his drink as the call was put through. Thor sounded groggy and half asleep as he answered, “Who does hail me?”

“Hey, Thor,” Tony said. “I’ve got your brother here. He says he’s offering me a personal truce while he solves the fox problem. Care to tell me if I should call bullshit or not?”

There was a long moment of silence before Thor asked, sounding very awake and very tense; “Loki is at your tower?”

“Good morning, brother,” Loki answered, his voice coming out smooth and _dreadfully_ amused.

“ _Loki_ ,” Thor growled, sounding ready to fly across the country to get to them. “If you dare to harm Stark-

Loki just rolled his eyes before he interrupted, “If you had listened to Stark you would have heard my intention to _refrain_ from harming him.”

There was another silence as Thor seemed to consider the words. “You speak in earnest?”

“I will perform vístskyldr with him,” Loki answered before adding, his voice growing firm, “But _only_ with him Thor, and only for so long as it shall take me to undo this spell.”

Shuffling nervously, Tony couldn’t stop from asking, “What is vístskyldr and why do I feel nervous about it?”

“It is a powerful bond,” Thor answered, sounding pensive. “When cast by a mage of Loki’s calibre, it would be a vow unbreakable. Loki would be incapable of harming you for its duration, but so would you be incapable of harming him.”

Tony’s eyes darted back to Loki’s, holding that green gaze unflinchingly. “You go all out with your ‘truces’ don’t you?”

“Would you accept anything less?” Loki enquired, raising his eyebrows.

Which, fair point, but Tony still didn’t like it. The idea of being _further_ magically bound to Loki didn’t sit well with him, even if, in theory, doing the vístskyldr would get him closer to being free from the foxes and Loki in general.

Tony tapped his fingers against his glass, feeling anxious and suspicious. He found his eyes drifting to where their foxes were cuddling on the floor, looking like they were having the time of their lives - looking like they’d give him a hell of a lot of grief if he wasn’t doing his best to solve the problem tying them together.

“Stark,” Loki started, sounding frustrated and impatient. “I would rather solve this sooner than-”

“Thor listens in as you perform it,” Tony interrupted, looking back at the mage and laying out his terms. “Thor is _present_ when you undo it.”

Loki instantly fired back, “ _You_ are the only one whom shall be present during our discussions. Thor will be allowed when I free us from the spell tangling us and thereby completing the vístskyldr, but no other.”

“During the time we do this, you don’t attack Earth,” Tony countered.

“During the time this takes to complete; neither SHIELD nor the Avengers will attempt to imprison me,” Loki rebutted.

Tapping his fingers against the bar, Tony took a moment to weigh up the deal. “If I ask questions relating to either the vístskyldr or the spell tangling us, you’ll answer them honestly.”

Loki looked like he’d just had something foul-smelling placed under his nose, but Tony wasn’t about to budge. Loki could sense as much and although he didn’t look happy about it, he eventually agreed, “Very well.”

“Alright then,” Tony let himself relax a little more before gesturing absently at the mage. “Perform away.”

Loki didn’t quite roll his eyes, but it looked like a near thing. He held out his hand, his elbow resting on the bar and Tony eyed it warily. “We will need to clasp hands to complete the vístskyldr.”

Tony grimaced, but when Thor only confirmed it, Tony warily brought his hand to hold Loki’s.

The feeling of their skin touching had Tony letting out a rough breath, his eyes flying wide. Loki was also noticeably affected as his hand briefly squeezed Tony’s and he let out a small gasp. Tony could hear their foxes yipping with excitement, but Tony couldn’t take his eyes off Loki. His gaze was so sharp and green and a part of Tony just wanted to keep leaning over the counter until he could get closer. 

He forced himself to stay put, he also bit out; “Do the damn spell.”

Loki didn’t argue and quickly commenced. It was pretty simple; Loki chanted some words, Tony repeated a few back, Thor did the same and when a tendril of green magic knotted around their wrists like a figure-eight... or the infinity symbol--and Tony was deliberately _not_ drawing any parallels to what this whole _ceremony_ felt like--it was all said and done and they were hurriedly letting each other go. The moment they were no longer touching, Tony let out a surreptitious breath and took a large gulp of his drink. Loki seemed to be wiping his hands on his shirt, and Tony chose not to be offended by that.

“Okay,” Tony asked, “what next?”

“We begin untangling this irritation,” Loki answered, grabbing his drink and moving towards the couches in the centre of the room. “Join me when you have dispensed with Thor.”

Loki took his place on the furniture as if he owned it, sprawling elegantly and sipping from his glass as he looked out the window. He didn’t look like an interloper or an enemy and it was really annoying. Tony also didn’t like the way he could see their foxes trotting over to take a seat on one of the cushions of the opposite couch, curling up together and sighing happily.

“Stark?” Thor asked, making Tony blink away from the animals. “Will you be right to remain alone with Loki?”

Tony knew Thor would fly over to join him, he only had to say the word, but Loki had made his terms clear and Thor had confirmed their new magical vow was going to keep Tony safe. It still didn’t mean squat for anyone else in Loki’s presence.

“No, I’ll be fine. Unbreakable magic vows and all that. Head back to sleep, Point Break.”

“If you have need of me,” Thor told him firmly, “call and I will come.”

It made Tony smile. “Will do.”

He had JARVIS end the call a moment later and he lingered by the bar only long enough to top up his drink before he was making his way over to the mage. Loki was tapping his fingers pensively on his glass while staring at the foxes with intensity. 

“Okay,” Tony said, dropping down on the opposite end of the couch to Loki. “You told us that there was a tangle in our spirits; care to elaborate on why the hell that had us sharing a dream?”

Loki sighed before looking at Tony. “Do you remember anything of our time as foxes, Stark?” Tony shook his head and in response, Loki took a rather large drink. When he pulled the glass back, he admitted, “Our instincts were unleashed and free from any thought or _sense_ our foxes...” he grimaced as if tasting something sour, “ _courted_.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Tony stared at him with wide eyes. “You’re saying our foxes God damn _dated?_ ”

“That is what a courtship implies, Stark,” Loki snapped, before drawing in a breath and pinching the bridge of his nose. “The magic of the spell has twisted things beyond comprehension and the influence of my magic has only complicated matters further. Our dreams are linked, our _spirits_ are linked, we are, as much as it _pains_ me to admit it Stark, in the early stages of a life bond.”

The thought sunk Tony’s stomach and heart so fast it felt like he’d just gone into freefall. He found his eyes drifting to their foxes with dread and panic. He wanted to pull them apart as if that might undo things or make it better - but he knew it wouldn’t.

“But you can fix it, right?” Tony asked hoarsely.

“Oh, Stark,” Loki chuckled humorously, “I will not rest until I do.” He sent him a wry smile. “Why do you think I would so willingly make a truce with _you_ if not to reverse this?”

“Right, yes, okay,” Tony nodded, quickly and rapidly getting on board as he shifted to better face the mage. “What do you need, how can I help, and how quickly can we make this happen?”

His enthusiasm almost made Loki smile, even if it was wry. He did better shift to face Tony. “Firstly, I do not want you in my mind, Stark. I am sure you could say the same.” When Tony nodded, he continued. “I am going to teach you to block your mind. While there may still be some overlap, you will have better control and we will both be able to remove ourselves without shattering the dream.”

Tony winced. “Yeah, a bit less shoving would be nice.”

“Teaching you will also serve the dual purpose of giving our,” he grimaced before deciding, “ _constructs_ time with one another. The longer and more frequently they are together, the fewer the side effects we should gain when apart.”

Rubbing a hand over his face, Tony agreed, “Sounds good.”

He saw Loki reach out and place his glass on the coffee table before standing. “Are you ready to begin?”

“Erm,” Tony looked at the mage uncertainly. “What does it entail?”

“Meditation,” Loki answered before narrowing his eyes at Tony. “I do hope you won’t prove yourself useless, Stark.”

The provocation and backhanded insult made Tony glare before tossing back the last of his drink and placing it beside Loki’s, he stood a moment later, offering Loki a challenging look. Loki didn’t rise to the bait and instead just led him to an empty part of the floor and magiced a blanket into existence for them to sit down on. They ended up crossed-legged and almost touching. They _also_ ended up with two, inquisitive energy foxes coming to sit beside them, their tails entwined as curious eyes observed them. Loki and Tony both pretended they didn’t exist.

Raising his hands slowly, Loki told him. “I will touch your temples and we shall descend into the astral plane which functions similarly to the dreamscape. You will follow my instructions without hesitation or questions-”

“But what if I want to know-”

“ _Without_ questions,” Loki insisted with a glare. “When we return, you may ask them if you still fail to grasp what we are doing.”

Tony glared. “You know, I can see why you have people just tripping over themselves to work with you. You’re a real _bucket_ of fun.”

Loki rolled his eyes, but didn’t comment; instead he brought his hands to Tony’s temples without warning. It made Tony flinch back, but he didn’t go far and from one blink to the next the penthouse was disappearing and they were in what felt like a box of shadows and light. The glow of their still present foxes made one half of the room look like fire, and the other like a shadowed forest. 

He could feel walls around them even if he couldn’t see them and Tony found himself looking around with pure curiosity.

“I am going to let down a wall,” Loki told him. “Your job is to build one to replace it.”

“But wait, how the hell am I even supposed to-”

Yet, Loki wasn’t listening as a large gust of wind swept up behind Tony and he spun on his feet to see what looked like a sudden drop off an icy mountainside and he took a step back instinctively. The rest of the room was still the same, a place with no walls and only shadows and light, yet it was still very definitely a _room_. It was as if Loki had put them in a mental box and then poked out one of the sides. Tony just had to fix the hole.

It made Tony turn back to the icy landscape and the edges of the self-imposed room. He felt his mind alighting with the enthusiasm and drive that only overtook him whenever he had a complicated problem to solve.

Tony knew that given a bit of time, he could work this out.

* * *

He did work it out. 

Tony built a metal wall and although he turned back to Loki breathing heavily and sweating profusely, he was rewarded by seeing genuine shock on Loki’s face. He hadn’t thought Tony could do it. Well, Tony showed _him_.

It did get more complicated however when Loki asked him to build a room to lock himself in, that was harder, and in the end, he only got two walls up (the room taking the shape of his lab without conscious thought) before Loki made him stop.

He gently pulled Tony out of the dreamspace until he was blinking his eyes open in his penthouse. The wave of pure exhaustion that hit Tony wasn't expected. He almost fell over and had to put out an arm to brace himself. 

Loki was watching him intensely, a hint of confusion furrowing his brow. “You take to it well. This may take less time than I anticipated.”

“Like I’ve always told you,” Tony told him with a tired, but still smug smirk, “ _genius_.”

Loki let out a small, unimpressed huff of breath. “Unfortunately, you are also a _mortal_ and you do not have the stamina to complete this.”

“I got two walls!” Tony protested.

“Hardly sufficient to keep out one another’s dreams is it?” Loki raised an eyebrow. “And how will you fare with a fox intent on reaching me? How will you fare with the strength of a _nightmare_? I assure you, Stark, I am not likely to be the one traumatised by walking into a room of _your_ demons.” 

Tony wasn’t sure about that, but he had more pressing things to worry about. “You, um, have nightmares?” 

Tony felt unsettled by that thought. He didn’t want to know what darkness lurked inside Loki’s head. He was also surprised the mage was even admitting they existed. Wouldn't he see them as a weakness?

“Everyone has nightmares, Stark.” Loki glanced away. “And I am not so foolish as to obscure that fact from you. Until you have greater control, my own strength is all but useless.” He turned back to Tony. “We will share dreams because you and your fox will find me, no matter the walls I build. It is only working in unison that we may have some attempt at avoiding one another.”

Tony internally cursed. Their foxes were cuddling in the space between their crossed legs. They glowed and warmed the area. Loki’s fox was brushing Tony’s leg, and the tail of Tony’s had curled over Loki’s boot. It was _intimate_ , and Tony could sense the contentment coming off their foxes in waves.

Rubbing a hand over his face, Tony questioned, “So, round two then? See if I can build the rest of the walls?”

Loki shook his head. “You are in no condition to continue.” He pulled away from the fox and unfolded his legs gracefully. He stood, making Tony crane his neck to look up at him. “We will resume tomorrow after you have rested.”

Tony looked between foxes and mage. “Won’t, um, that be a problem? I don't have a room yet.”

“There is no choice. We must be rested if we have any hope of undoing this.” It looked like the thought pained him. “Until we have a stronger defence, we will have to accept that some level of overlap will occur.”

 _Just fucking great_. Tony tried not to groan out loud. He also resisted the urge to be petty and shove the foxes away from him when he stood up. 

“Fine,” he agreed. “What time are you going to show up here?”

“I will return by ten. I suggest informing your comrades of our arrangement and keep them from interfering.”

Tony glowered at him. “Thanks for leaving me with the _easy_ part.”

Loki smirked. He also bent down and grabbed the scruff of his fox by the neck. It barked with displeasure and tried to squirm. Tony’s fox made a sound of distress and tired to jump up to grab it, but Loki was holding firm. 

The mage gave him a small almost polite nod before he was teleporting away, leaving Tony and his fox alone in the penthouse. The ache was quick to overtake his chest, but this time it was more like bad heartburn. Inconvenient, but manageable. The fox whose paws were scratching at his leg and whining weren't as easy to ignore.

It still felt odd to reach for a construct of energy, but Tony followed Loki’s lead and picked up the fox. It burrowed into his arms and licked his hand in a way Tony had seen domestic pets behave. It was still _weird_. It was as if static electricity had a physical form and was squirming in his arms to get comfortable.

He was also feeling more tired by the minute, as if Loki leaving had sapped the last of his energy. Tony made his way back to his bedroom with heavy feet.

“J,” he called. “Wake me two hours before Loki is meant to arrive.”

“Yes, sir,” JARVIS replied.

When he reached his room, Tony put the fox on the mattress before climbing back under the bedding. It was quick to find a place, tucked up against his side. He found himself smiling and reaching down to stroke the fox’s head.

“I’m going to have to come up with a name for you.”

“Sir, I do not believe that is wise.” JARVIS warned, “The bestowing of a name has often inspired strong attachment from you.”

_Dum-E, U, Butterfingers, JARVIS._

His A.I. made a really good point, but big black eyes were staring up at him, tilting its head curiously and with something almost hopeful. It was probably the broken sleep and exhaustion talking, but Tony completely disregarded JARVIS’ common sense and declared, “Yeah, but, I gotta call him something.”

He traced his fingers over the little fox’s snout and decided, “How about ‘CP’ for Central Park? Or the 'Crap Position' you’ve got me in, little buddy’?”

The fox butted against his hand, seeming pleased despite the insult, and JARVIS sighed at him loudly. “Congratulations, Sir. You have named a magical construct formed by your own life-force.”

Tony had intended to say something, but he was already closing his eyes, exhaustion pulling him into sleep. 

Tony didn’t know how long it took for the dream to start; he only knew that he became surrounded by warmth and happiness. He was in a burrow, although, he couldn’t explain how he knew it. He saw CP and the green fox as if from above; they were curled up together and sleeping peacefully. 

Tony felt himself curl tighter around something as well, but instead of being pushed away by the owner of the arms or jerking back himself, Tony let himself enjoy the feeling of a warm embrace that made him feel safe, and at peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And in case you were wondering I smashed together some old norse for: vístskyldr meaning basically “truth” and “obligation” XD


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not 100% sure on how this chapter reads, but hopefully I'm just being picky and you like it :)

Tony woke up feeling more rested than... ever. He felt like he’d slept for a year, rather than only a few hours. His body felt strong and refreshed and he wondered if that wasn’t something to do with the bond and Loki’s magic - which would make it the first and only perk of the whole damn thing. 

Honestly, Tony just didn’t want to think about it, not when he had to tell the Avengers of the new situation and deal with the fact Loki would be arriving in a little over three hours.

Tony groaned and got out of bed, heading straight to the shower and leaving his still dozing fox on the mattress. It wasn’t until Tony was in the shower and rubbing shampoo through his hair that a memory surfaced.

With the clarity of morning, the hazy body that had been wrapped around him took shape. He’d been cuddling Loki. _They_ had been cuddling _each other_. 

Tony stared at the tiles in front of him with disgust and horror. He wanted to erase that memory from his brain. He wanted to remove the feeling of strong arms and a chest to lay his head on. The smell of snow and old books and the feeling of _this is where I belong_.

When the shampoo from his hair dripped into his eyes, he swore violently but privately welcomed the sting. If soap in his eyes made him forget about snuggling with Loki, he’d gladly take that price.

Tony finished his shower with determination and vigour, refusing to let his thoughts drift. He spoke to JARVIS asking him to get all the Avengers in the conference room. He also had J contact Thor and request he be available to speak about Loki before he left for Asgard. Thor would be standing by to assure the team that Loki could be trusted for the duration of the reversal. 

When Tony finished, he changed into jeans and a t-shirt. CP had woken up and jumped down off the bed to follow him into the kitchen. The fox was already unhappy and Tony’s heartburn persisted, but he could ignore it as he made a coffee and took it down to the conference room.

In typical Avenger punctuality, everyone was there and while a few were still in pyjamas and hugging coffees, they were ready to tackle the problem head on. 

A few heads watched CP as he followed at Tony’s heels. His head was down and he looked suitably hangdog. Tony did his best to ignore the fox’s low whines and the scratches at his leg once Tony stopped walking.

“Right, so, morning. I hope everyone slept well. I sure as hell didn’t. What can I say? Dreamsharing with Loki isn’t fun. His showing up at the Tower just put the cherry on the cake.”

“He _what?_ ” Clint shrieked, his cup hitting the table and sloshing coffee.

Steve had gone rigid and he searched Tony for injury. “He came here? What happened?”

“You look well rested,” Natasha pointed out suspiciously.

“And not well fucked,” Rhodey remarked without any hint of subtlety. “So that’s something.”

Tony scrunched up his nose in distaste. “Firstly, Rhodey, ew. Secondly, _hell no_. And thirdly, where is the concern?”

“You seem fine,” Rhodey shrugged. “You’re also stalling. Get to the real problem.”

Sometimes, it sucked to have his best friend on the team. He played dirty.

Tony sighed and took another sip of coffee. He also pulled out a chair and took a seat. He had a feeling this was going to get messy. “JARVIS, patch Thor through. We’ll start from the top.”

“Yes, sir,” his A.I. agreed.

He had the full attention of the room. He also had a fox that took the opportunity to jump onto his lap and make himself comfortable. 

“Okay, so, I’ve formed a truce with Loki and we’re going to be working together to break the bond and lock our minds from each other.”

Much like Tony expected from his response, the room erupted into confusion and chaos. Tony did spare a moment to think, Mischief God that he was; Loki would have delighted in the mess he’d created.

* * *

It took over an hour before the group dispersed. They’d spent the time arguing with half of the room certain that Loki had an ulterior motive, the other half believing that selfishness and anger were Loki’s two motivating factors and that right now, they were working in Tony’s favour.

Thor weighed in whenever possible to assure everyone that Tony was safe for as long as the vístskyldr was in place. The team wasn’t happy, but with nothing else to do (and Tony’s chest hurting him more with every minute that passed) they agreed to the terms Loki and Tony had laid out in their truce.

Steve and Rhodey were heading to speak to SHIELD and outline the situation while everyone drifted off to their various morning routines. Bruce demanded to view Tony’s vitals and Tony dismissively gave JARVIS permission to divulge them so that the scientist would hopefully stop worrying.

Tony felt a desperate need to be _alone_ and he took the first chance he got to disappear into his lab with CP. He didn’t realise there was more than just his own emotions pushing for that outcome until the doors of the room shut.

A split-second later, Loki was appearing in a flash of green magic. He looked beyond frustrated and had a squirming, howling fox in his grip.

“Finally!” He snapped. “This infernal fox will not be _quiet!_ ”

He dropped the construct which landed on its feet before it was pouncing on top of CP. It didn’t even surprise Tony that the moment their foxes connected, the pain in his chest disappeared. If looks could kill, Loki’s fox wouldn’t have stood a chance.

Tony tried not to sigh. “You’re early.”

Loki turned his glare on Tony. “I could get nothing done with this pathetic creature pining for your fox!”

“You know you just called yourself pathetic, right?” Tony couldn’t help pointing out. Loki’s glower only darkened, but Tony was too weary after the last hour to let it bother him. He pushed past the mage and pulled out two chairs. He gestured at one for Loki before taking the other. “The Avengers have agreed to hold up their part of the truce.”

Loki’s animosity didn’t disappear, but he seemed to lose some of his tension. He also took the offered seat. He crossed one leg over the other and his arms over his chest. His posture screamed ‘ _fuck off_ ’ but his actions spoke a hell of a lot louder. He was still here and they couldn’t afford to be petty. They had to work together if they were going to beat this.

“Look, I don’t want to start an argument or waste time,” Tony said. “I just want to get this bond broken.”

Loki gritted his teeth but a moment later he pulled in a calming breath. When he let it out, he’d relaxed. His arms were still crossed but he looked less inclined to stab something. 

“Are you ready to start our lesson?” he asked, even managing to sound polite.

“Yeah,” Tony answered. “I feel,” he laughed wryly, “ _well rested_.”

Loki winced, both of them knowing the cause for that. Tony shot a glance at the foxes. The green one’s head was resting on top of CP’s back. They had their eyes closed and were already sleeping soundly.

It sent a spike of worry through Tony and he turned back to the mage. “If we lock our dreams from each other, is the urge to be together going to get worse?”

Loki scowled and grudgingly admitted, “It is a possibility.”

“Don’t we want to avoid that?”

“Surely you want to avoid sharing our _dreams_ even more?” Loki riposted. 

“I don’t want you in my head, but I don’t want a lead way crushing my chest either,” Tony countered. “If we do this and things get worse-”

“I would rather be forced to spend more time in your presence,” Loki interrupted with a scowl. “Than have our minds so intimately connected.”

He had a point, but Tony still wasn’t happy about the potential pain they’d have to suffer through. Tony had spent too many years with a weight digging into his chest and making it hard to breathe.

Then again, did he want to wake up again having cuddled with his enemy? Did he want to share some of his most intimate and painful moments with Loki, knowing the mage would only use them against him in the future?

Maybe, a little pain and a crying fox _was_ the better trade off.

“Fine,” he agreed. “Let’s start the lessons.”

Loki stood up fluidly and the same blanket from last time shimmered to life on the floor. Loki took a seat and waited for Tony to join him, but he hesitated. “Erm. We aren’t going up to the penthouse?”

“No,” Loki stated. “This is the room your mind created during our last lesson. This is where you are most connected and comfortable. Had I known you found your workshop more soothing than your chambers, I would have insisted we move there last night.”

Tony didn’t like it, not in the slightest. “How important is it?”

“Comfort is paramount for a novice,” Loki stated simply. “It allows greater ease and quicker adaptation.”

Short answer: _we’re staying in the lab._

Tony cursed internally, but he didn’t have another option short of forcing them up to the penthouse, but what was the point? Loki had already made it obvious he could enter the lab without welcome or warning. Leaving now would change anything, it wouldn't only make the mage curious and prickly.

Gritting his teeth, Tony walked over to the blanket and dropped down in front of Loki. The mage noticed his unhappiness and drawled, “You need to be _calm_ , Stark, or we will get nowhere.”

_Yeah, sure, easy to be calm with my enemy in the middle of my **lab**._

But, JARVIS was watching, The Avengers were a few floors away, and the Iron Man suit was nearby. Loki wasn’t allowed to hurt him thanks to the vístskyldr and even if the lab was compromised _now_ , it didn’t mean he couldn’t take steps to keep Loki out in the future.

It would be okay. He would get his lab Loki-proof in no time.

Letting out a breath, he made himself relax. He hadn’t realised he’d closed his eyes, but when he opened them again, Loki was watching him with a thoughtful expression. It quickly disappeared before Tony could comment, and Loki raised his hands, placing them beside Tony’s temples.

“Ready, Stark?”

Tony nodded, and just like last night, Loki’s fingers touched him, and they descended into the astral plain.

* * *

They spent a few hours working on Tony’s ability to build walls and a room to lock himself in. Tony hated to admit that Loki was right about using the lab as a location for their physical bodies. Tony was able to work far easier. He _felt_ more comfortable.

Loki even admitted once Tony had pulled up all four walls that Tony was ‘picking it up well’. He seemed reluctant to say it, but Tony was still preening under the compliment. He was ready to insist Loki call him a ‘ _genius_ ’ when the whole room they were in seemed to lurch.

Tony gasped while Loki tensed, and from one blink to the next, Tony’s eyes were opening and they were back in the lab. The _real_ lab. The reason for the disruption became clear when DUM-E’s claw poked Tony’s shoulder again.

He was making noises of concern. Apparently, Tony had sat still for way too long and all the bots had come over, surrounding the two of them and casting Tony concerned looks.

Loki was jerking his head around, his body had coiled with initial tension, but as he became aware that the bots were _not_ a threat, his scowl of suspicion turned to one of confusion. The two foxes had come over at some point. Loki’s fox was sniffing Butterfingers while CP was rubbing his body against U.

Tony just sighed and brought up a hand to stroke DUM-E. He couldn’t stop his smile. “I’m fine, guys. No need to worry.”

They still pressed a little closer, and Tony sat still, letting them all poke and prod him, confirming for themselves that Tony was in fact, okay. DUM-E was the first to pull away, but he didn’t go far, instead, he decided the next person to check was Loki.

Tony opened his mouth to protest, but to his surprise, Loki raised his hand and met DUM-E halfway. A small smile was curling his lips and he greeted, “Hello there.”

The sound of his voice drew Butterfingers and U, who were quickly turning to investigate this new person who was not only allowing them to poke him, but was _talking_ to them. Tony watched Loki with incredulity.

No one had ever welcomed the bots so easily or with such understanding. 

Loki noticed his expression, and even though he was letting U touch his hair, Butterfingers his jacket, and DUM-E his hand, he answered Tony’s silent incredulity and incomprehension with a glare. “I am not the heartless creature you believe me to be, Stark.”

“No,” Tony shook his head. “That’s not… no one treats them like they’re _alive_.”

Loki frowned, but where his annoyance faded something almost… understanding alighted in his gaze.

“They are constructs," Loki said, "despite your lack of magic, they have still been given life by you.” Loki’s attention moved from Tony to DUM-E who was nudging his hand in a bid for attention. Loki actually _smiled_. It wasn’t wry or sarcastic or mean. It was just… genuine, if a little sad. “The Aesir never understood my constructs either.”

It made Tony’s heart ache as he looked at his ‘bots. “What happened to them?”

“I was told to dismiss them,” Loki stated and whether it was coincidence or his fox simply _knowing_. The green one came over to Loki and pushed its head under his hand. Loki patted it instantly. He looked down and his expression was achingly soft. “A wolf and a snake are not fitting for a young prince.”

Tony had the sudden feeling that his wolf and snake had looked very similar to their foxes. It also made him realise why Loki might be so brusque with the construct; it wasn’t just because of the connection to Tony, it was a reminder of grief from centuries past.

“I’m sorry that happened to you,” Tony told him, genuinely meaning it.

Loki looked at him and for a moment - for a _split-second_ , they understood and empathised with each other - but it was gone in a flash as Loki stiffened and his mask slid down across his face. He stood up abruptly, making the bots jerk back. He grabbed his fox by the scruff of the neck and sent Tony a cold look.

“We are done for the day. I will return tomorrow.”

Tony didn’t get a chance to say a word before Loki was disappearing in a flare of magic, leaving behind a disappointed fox, confused bots and a frowning Tony.

Loki was still an enemy and they weren’t meant to be understanding each other and _connecting_ , but, well, Tony couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the boy Loki had once been and what he had suffered to try and fit in.

Looking down at CP, Tony only hesitated for a moment before he picked up the fox and held CP to his chest. 

Was it a bad idea to become attached to a fox that would disappear once the spell ended? Probably, but that wasn’t about to stop him.

* * *

All things considered, Tony probably shouldn’t have been surprised. After talking about the bots and the ache in his chest reminding Tony of the arc reactor – yeah, Tony shouldn’t have been surprised when his dreams sent him back to Afghanistan.

He was in that fucking awful cave, and instead of Yinsen it was his terrified fox held in the Ten Rings arms. He was yelling at them, saying he could build a better weapon, he could make _ten_ Jericho missiles.

But, they were still shoving him face first in water. The original arc reactor and the battery were crushing and pulling at his chest. Burning with the sharp, aching intensity he wished he could forget. His fox was howling and Tony was in _agony_.

Then, suddenly, there was a streak of green and black light. There was a hissing, growling noise as the light jumped and attacked the man holding CP. His fox was still struggling and trying to get free, biting at his captors’ hands. The men holding Tony over the barrel of water disappeared abruptly and Tony would have fallen forward if cautious hands didn’t catch him.

“Stark,” Loki’s voice was in his ear. “Stark. You have to take control of your mind.”

Tony shuddered, his breathes coming out in gasps. He felt like he was choking. Their foxes were _howling_ and one of the most horrible moments in his life was pressing down on him.

“Damn it, Stark,” Loki snarled before cold hands slid down his arms and took his hands. He held them up in a mimic of the Iron Man armour. “ _Focus_.”

The command cut through everything and Tony sucked in another gasping breath and opened his eyes. Loki’s hands were on his own, but they shimmered and the armour was resting over them like an illusion. Tony could see the Ten Rings and he didn’t think before he fired. It was pure energy that erupted from his hands, but with every terrorist he knocked to the ground, the men faded away.

The pain in his chest started to lessen and his breathing started to calm. He was still trembling but he was _safe_. CP was rushing over to him. The fox jumped into his lap and pressed its front paws onto his chest. It flicked its tongue over his jaw, wiping up moisture and tears.

“I’m okay,” he gasped out, trying to reassure both himself and the fox. The green fox came over as well, joining CP and nuzzling his chest, right where there should have been a gaping wound.

Tony jolted and looked down, but the arc reactor was gone. He was in his Black Sabbath shirt. When he looked up again, the cave was gone, but instead of the lab, it was a field of grass. The air was fresh and crisp and like nowhere he had ever been.

It made him remember that the hands he was frantically grasping was Loki’s. He jerked and looked over his shoulder. Loki was still kneeling behind him; his hair was a mess and he was in the same pyjamas as before.

Tony knew in an instant that he’d been the one to drag Loki into his mind. He felt embarrassment, guilt and the lingering horror and pain that always followed a nightmare.

“S-Sorry,” he gasped out.

He didn’t know what to expect, but Loki shaking his head softly wasn’t it. “Don’t apologise, Stark. A nightmare of that intensity…” he trailed off, looking at Tony with a strange expression. “It would take a skilled mage to block such a dream.”

Tony gave a rough laugh. “Well, fuck. You’re in for a ride while stuck in my head.”

“Not necessarily,” Loki insisted. “ _I_ am a skilled mage.”

He moved his hands and Tony realised they were still connected. He instantly let go, but Loki just gestured around them. “I have crafted this field. It will keep your nightmares at bay, as well as my own.” He looked back at Tony. “It will serve well enough for tonight.”

“You think I’ll be sleeping after _that?_ ” Tony asked.

“You are sleeping,” Loki pointed out. “Negative thoughts won’t intrude here. If you lie down on the grass and let yourself relax, you will sleep.”

Tony was already shaking his head. “I can’t sleep after that. You go lie down. I’ll be fine.”

Loki pursed his lips. “You will not be able to attend our lesson if you do not rest. What will it take to distract you until you can rest?”

Tony looked at the mage incredulously. “Are you _offering_ to distract me?”

The mage was silent for a long moment, watching Tony with a gaze so deep and penetrating that Tony wanted to squirm.

“I felt that dream,” Loki told him quietly. “I experienced it as if it was my own. So, yes, Stark. I am offering to distract you.”

Tony wanted to bristle, want to push back and snarl that he didn’t need _pity_ , but he couldn’t form the words; not when he saw understanding in Loki’s green eyes. Tony knew, without having to ask, that Loki had dreams ( _memories_ ) just as painful locked inside his own mind.

And despite having the opportunity to mock him, to kick him while he was down - hell to _leave him_ to his nightmare. Loki had done the kind thing, the _compassionate_ thing and was still willing to help him, even when he could walk away, no questions asked.

There were few people in Tony’s life (few _friends_ ) who would do that for him.

He swallowed around the lump in his throat. He searched for something to do; talking was out, he didn’t want to have a discussion -but he needed to do something that wasn’t thinking about his dream or memories.

“Do you, um, know how to play chess?”

Loki didn’t respond but a board game appeared in front of him. Tony turned to face him, mirroring Loki’s cross-legged position in front of the hovering board. Their foxes were playing in the field.

Feeling a gratitude, he didn’t know how to put into words, Tony settled for giving Loki the white set and the ability to go first.

And even though it took five moves before he could finally admit a rough ‘ _thank you_ ’ under his breath, Loki’s soft ‘ _you're welcome_ ’ was given without a pause and without looking up.

In the next breath, Loki removed Tony’s knight from the board and Tony moved his bishop forward. The game continued as if nothing had happened, and Tony finally began to feel himself relax.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And some more utterly gorgeous art from **Rabentochter**!! LOOK AT THE ADORABLE TONY SMIRK. AND LOKI'S CONCENTRATION AND THEY HAPPY PLAYING OF THE GORGEOUS ENERGY FOXES IN THE MEADOW. IT'S JUST SO PRETTTTTYYYYYY.
> 
> GO GIVE HER ALL THE LOVE SHE DESERVES OVER ON [TUMBLR](https://rabentochter.tumblr.com/post/185547188734/do-you-um-know-how-to-play-chess-loki-didnt) ♥ ♥


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only two more chapters to go! What sadness :'(  
> Hopefully you'll enjoy the updates as they come though!

They played three rounds of chess that night. Loki won the first, Tony the second, and they were too tired to finish the third. They left their pieces mid-play and laid down on the field. They slept with the chessboard and their foxes between them.

When Tony woke up in the morning, he felt… good, and not as embarrassed as he’d thought he’d be. He also knew that Loki would never use the nightmare against him, the same way, if Loki had a nightmare, Tony would be there for him as well.

It was a mutual understanding, and something they never spoke of but was quietly acknowledged.

A lot of things became silently accepted between them over the next few days; magic lessons were always in the lab, and Loki would always spend five minutes (sometimes more) greeting the bots. He would even linger, playing fetch with DUM-E and accepting a shake from U.

They never told the others about either of those things, as far as the Avengers were concerned, the magic lessons happened in the penthouse. And when Thor came back with no information and nothing but the hope that Loki could figure it out, it meant that The Avengers had even less to complain about. Loki was their only shot, and they had to accepted it.

The days turned into a week, and Tony’s wards and mental shielding became better with each lesson. It was halfway through the second week, when Loki informed him; “There is nothing else I can teach you.”

Tony’s heart jolted. “What? No - I mean, really?”

“Yes,” Loki agreed. “We will be able to block one another from everything save, perhaps, the occasional nightmare. In the case of that, we will have to do what we did in the past.”

“Go to the meadow.” 

Loki nodded. “With luck, the spell will be broken long before then.”

“How are you getting on with it?”

Frustration creased Loki’s brow. “It is difficult, but I will conquer it.”

_Translation: I’m getting nowhere fast._

A week ago, Tony would have been frustrated and depressed by that response, but right now he felt… okay. Oh, he wasn’t _happy_ , but he could admit that he was relieved he didn’t have to say goodbye to CP.

It was also nice knowing that, at least for a little while longer, Loki wasn’t an enemy he had to watch his back around.

“Well, ah, good luck, I guess. Let me know if you need me.”

“I shall,” Loki agreed. He also gave a polite nod to Tony and gave each of the bots a fond pat goodbye.

Loki then bent down and picked up his fox. 

The green and black construct was already whining and curling around CP. Loki wasn’t as rough as he’d been in the beginning. He gave the fox a stroke to its fur before lifting it up by the stomach. He held it in his arms, keeping a firm grip despite its squirming.

“Goodbye, Stark.”

“Bye, Loki,” Tony replied.

The mage disappeared without another word. CP whined and the long-familiar ache reappeared. Tony just bent down and picked up CP. “Come on, buddy. Time for us to get back to what we’re supposed to be doing.”

CP made another unhappy sound and Tony scratched between his ears while taking a seat on his chair. The fox looked up at him sorrowfully.

“It’s for the best, CP,” Tony told him. “Loki and I aren’t meant to be on the same side. And you…”

 _Aren’t meant to exist_ , but Tony couldn’t say the words. He patted the fox with a sad smile. “You’ll get used to it.”

CP just lowered his head, looking completely pitiful and heartbroken. Tony tried not to be guilt-tripped by a blob of energy. 

He _tried_ , but god damn did he fail.

* * *

When he went to sleep, there was nothing. No Loki, no second fox, just him and CP in the lab doing their thing. CP cried the entire time and scratched at the elevator doors. He looked between Tony and the doors with a hopeful expression. Tony turned his back on the fox and tried to focus on tinkering.

When he managed to slide from the lab and into more regular sleep it didn't feel right. Tony woke up feeling like he’d only managed five minutes, rather than the five hours JARVIS told him he’d slept.

He felt irritated and jittery. His chest hurt, he had a headache and he was _tired_. He hadn’t been tired for a fucking week and he hated it.

Tony showered with CP lying sadly on the tiles. He brushed his teeth with CP scratching at his leg. He made a coffee with CP giving soft whining noises. He leant over the bar and closed his eyes, trying to will away the pounding in his head and the pressure on his chest.

When CP scratched at his leg again, he whirled on the fox and glared. “For fucks sake, CP. What do you want us to do? Pretend every bit of history between us doesn’t exist? Is Loki supposed to move into the tower? Are we supposed to get fucking married and ride off into the sunset together?”

The fox looked up at him, blinking wide and sad eyes. It then stood up on its hind paws and pressed the top ones to his shin. Tony cursed under his breath, knowing that the fox didn’t give a flying fuck about enemies or logic.

It had a mate, and it wanted to be with him. 

CP wanted _Tony_ to be with _their_ mate.

Tony was trying to reign in his temper (exacerbated by stress and lingering, annoying _aches_ in his chest and head) but before he could try and be softer to the fox, he felt something strange a moment before green light surrounded him.

JARVIS shouted, “ _Sir!_ ” but it was too late, and before he could react, the penthouse was disappearing and in its place was a strange room. There were timber floorboards, deep green walls, black curtains and old, but regal furniture.

It didn’t take a genius to realise where he was, and it was confirmed when he turned to the side and saw Loki looking world-weary and resigned. Yet, the rush of euphoria he felt as CP and Loki’s fox was reunited made his headache ease and his chest lighten.

“Ravfi makes it impossible to work,” Loki told him, sounding as if he was on the verge of giving up.

But that wasn’t what caught Tony’s attention, it was something more important. “You named your fox too.”

Loki blinked. “You named yours?”

“Yeah, a week ago. His name is CP.”

Loki snorted. “Of course, he is.” He shook his head. “I suppose ‘U’ was already taken.”

Tony narrowed his eyes, more amused than offended as he pointed at Loki. “Is that an insult to my naming skills?”

“For an inventor, you lack much in the way of creativity,” Loki drawled.

“I am offended by that. I take grave offense. That is _cruel_ , Loki.”

Loki was already smirking. “I may be the God of Lies, Stark, but even I know when to tell the truth.”

Tony had smiled at first, but then the words reminded him of something and he winced. Loki’s own humour faded. “Stark?”

“You just kidnapped me from the tower.” He let out a soft groan. “Everyone is going to be freaking out.”

Loki shrugged. “Then contact them and inform them you are fine but will be assisting me with the spell today.”

Tony was surprised. “All day?”

“Yes.” Loki shot a glare at the foxes. “I have learnt the hard way that Ravfi’s displeasure interferes with channelling seidr. He will not let me work without you and CP here.”

“Which means, you’ll kidnap me as much as you need,” Tony said wryly.

“I wouldn’t call it a kidnapping,” Loki replied. “You’re hardly unwilling.”

Which was true, he was more amused and sympathetic. He knew what it was like to have a crying, pining fox at his feet. He also knew what it was like to want to break the spell tying them together. He _got_ why Loki would do it. 

There was also the fact that Loki wouldn’t hurt him and that, deep down, he was grateful to be able to spend more time with the mage before their truce ended. (But Tony didn’t like to pay attention to that second part.)

“Alright,” he said. “Do you have a phone so I can call JARVIS?”

When Loki waved a hand, Tony was amused to find that it was both a Stark phone and a vivid green. Tony tsked. “You could get in trouble for customising a Stark phone without permission.”

“Yes,” Loki drawled, “how unexpectedly villainous of me.”

Tony chuckled even as he typed in the familiar number which gave him a direct line to the penthouse. “You have reached-”

“Drop the spiel, J, it’s me.”

“Sir!” JARVIS’ relief was palpable. “My sensors detected Mr Liesmith’s magic before your disappearance.”

“Yeah, I’m with Loki. His fox was giving him grief and he needs to be at his evil lair to work on the spell.” He heard Loki mutter something about ‘ _overdramatic_ ’ but Tony tuned him out. “I’m going to be with Lokes for the day. Hold my calls and tell everyone I’ll be fine. If the city comes under attack, I’ll make Loki promise to send me back.”

“Of course, Sir. Shall I make a note of Mr Liesmith’s number for future reference?”

Tony barely paused before. “Yeah, log it. That way he can call in advance before any future abductions.”

“Very good, Sir,” JARVIS drawled.

“Keep the kids out of trouble for me!” Tony said happily, before ending the call and turning back to Loki.

The mage was frowning with concern. “Shall the constructs be unhappy during your absence?”

“The bots? Nah, I was talking about the Avengers.”

Loki snorted, amusement returning as he held out his hand and Tony handed over his phone. It disappeared into the pocket of his pants while Loki gestured Tony towards the plush black couch. Tony followed without complaint and they sat beside one another. They weren’t touching, but they were far closer than they would have been before this whole mess started.

“I cannot work on untangling this bond without your presence,” Loki stated simply and without an ounce of sugar coating. “Ravfi won’t allow it.”

Tony nodded. “And you’ll need to be here, because you’re more comfortable.” 

“Yes,” Loki answered. “Furthermore, the severing of our shared dreams has exacerbated the side-effects of us being parted. 

Tony ran a hand through his hair, looking at the two foxes which were exploring the apartment. Or rather, Ravfi was _showing_ CP the apartment. 

“Meaning, we should take every chance we can during the day to lessen the effects.”

“Precisely.”

Tony sighed. “Looks like I’ll be your guest for a while then. Think you can magic me up one of my tablets?” Loki smirked and when a green shimmer appeared on his thighs, it wasn’t a tablet but some strange wooden box. “What the hell is this?”

“An Alfheim puzzle box.” Tony’s gaze snapped to Loki, instantly intrigued. “I think you will find its intricacies intriguing. I will be curious to see how long you take to open it.”

Tony’s eyes flared, the challenge well and truly set. He turned from Loki to pick up the box, looking at it from all sides. “What do I need to know about it?”

“There is nothing to know,” Loki told him. “The box is never given with instructions, if you wish to solve it, you will have to use your intellect.”

Oh, it was _on_.

Tony didn’t hear Loki’s chuckle and he barely felt the other man move from the couch and go to his magic books to continue researching the spell. The only thing Tony could focus on was the puzzle box and the determination to not only prove he could solve it, but to impress Loki too.

Although, he couldn’t say why gaining Loki’s admiration mattered so much.

* * *

Tony lost track of time as he worked on the box. He did let out a triumphant cry when he found a sequence that shifted the wood. It pulled pieces of the outer box inward to replace them with new ones. It was the next layer and Tony was both frustrated and fascinated. He ended up moving from the couch to Loki’s breakfast bar if only so he could bend over it and shift the box to different angles. There was so many patterns and grooves all over the box. The bottom was a maze, literally. It was _carved in the shape of a maze_ and Tony knew that was going to play a part in something eventually.

He had never worked on anything so intricate in his life. The craftsmanship was _stunning_ and the person who created it was both a genius and a monster.

Tony was so absorbed that when Loki spoke from right beside him, he almost threw the box he was so startled.

“You have completed the first three stages already,” he sounded shocked.

Tony preened. He could see _respect_ forming underneath Loki’s surprise. It made him grin fiercely. “Told you, Lokes, I’m a-”

“Genius,” Loki finished for him. “So you have said.” He tilted his head, looking at Tony strangely. “And so I am beginning to believe.”

“Careful, Loki,” Tony teased. “That was almost a compliment.”

Loki gave a half-smile, but instead of dismissing it outright, he asked, “Are you hungry? It is late afternoon.”

Tony blinked. “Wow. Really?”

“Yes. I am going to make myself a meal.”

“Food would be great, yeah, thanks.”

Loki nodded and stepped into the kitchen. Tony knew he could go back to the puzzle box, but instead he watched Loki. He moved fluidly and with purpose. He pulled open the fridge and collected vegetables and fish. He laid them on the bench and moved for the spice rack. 

Tony was struck with the realisation as he watched the other man. He didn’t see the mage as a villain anymore. He just saw _Loki_.

And that was a damning thought, because when the spell broke, it was going to be that much harder to go back to the way things used to be.

_I don’t want to fight him. I want to keep hanging out with him._

Tony swallowed hard and looked away. He stared at the apartment; such a normal looking space, somewhere that anyone could live. It had two sleeping foxes that were curled up together on the couch. It was a _home_ not an evil lair - and Loki had been anything but ‘evil’ to him for weeks. He’d helped Tony during his nightmares, he’d given him a puzzle box, he’d made friends with the _bots_ and he’d named his _fox_.

“Stark?” Loki questioned, and Tony jerked back from his thoughts to look at the other man.

Loki had a concerned frown marring his brow and he’d stopped chopping vegetables to glance at him.

_What are we going to do when this is over?_

The question was on his tongue, but Tony couldn’t bring himself to say it. He was afraid of what Loki would say. He was afraid to hear that he - that _this_ meant nothing to the mage. So, he plastered on a smile.

“When did you learn to cook?”

Loki’s expression said he knew Tony was avoiding answering him, but instead of pushing he replied, “One needs to know how to prepare and cook a meal when forced to attend hunting trips. I also refused to eat bland meat with no flavouring.”

It made sense, yet, Tony had never considered it. “I sometimes forget how differently you grew up.”

Loki’s smile was sharp and bitter. “Oh, yes. Constantly dragged on horrid hunting trips by Thor and his useless friends.”

Tony winced. “But it couldn’t have all been bad?”

“Well,” a hint of amusement flashed through his eyes. “There was the time I convinced Thor to attack a bilgesnipe during mating season. They are notoriously hard to kill, but they must be weakened during such a time, surely?”

“Which they aren’t,” Tony stated, already sensing where this was going. He leant forward, anticipating a good story. “What happened?”

Loki’s green eyes were filled with wicked mischief, and Tony found himself matching the Trickster’s smile. 

“Well, I may have forgotten to remind Thor and his friends that they had walked through a muddy swamp that bilgesnipe often roll themselves in to make themselves more attractive to their mates.”

Tony’s eyes widened. “Oh my god.”

“The bilgesnipe thought they would make a lovely addition to their nest and kept trying to round them up like misbehaving children. After discarding their pesky weapons.” Tony’s smile was wide. “And what a shame that the ruckus they were making drew more bilgesnipe to the area.”

Tony sniggered. “You are such a little shit, aren’t you?”

“Me?” Loki even placed a hand to his chest. “Why, I had no idea such an embarrassing spectacle would occur.”

“But, I bet you would have loved a camera,” Tony added. He chuckled. “God, I wish you _did_ have a camera. I would pay to see that.”

Loki’s eyes brightened and he suggested, “I could show you. My seidr is capable of such things.”

“Really?” Tony instantly perked up. “You can show me all your pranks over the years? Like a Top 100 Video?”

“If you would like to see them,” Loki agreed, his voice unusually tentative.

“Fuck yes, I want to.” Tony even offered the puppy dog eyes. “Show me, come on, Loki, please?”

Loki laughed, and he sounded nothing but delighted as his hands glowed green and he said, “If you insist.”

* * *

Tony didn’t ever think he’d laughed so much. Loki had the title of Mischief God, and holy _shit_ did he deserve it.

Tony spent the whole time Loki was cooking dinner, leaning on the counter and laughing so hard he could barely catch his breath. Loki kept ‘pausing’ the illusion so Tony didn’t miss anything. 

When the meal was finally cooked, Loki had them relocate to the couch, forced to sit with their thighs touching so they wouldn’t disturb their foxes. Neither of them complained and Loki brought a footstool closer so they could rest their feet on it as they sat back to watch the chaos and hilarity Loki had caused throughout his centuries of life.

The _best_ ones were when he tricked Thor. Tony made Loki pause it often so he could simply praise Loki and ask him when he’d come up with the idea, how he’d implemented it and when he’d come to be such a genius at pranks?

Loki was glowing under the praise and he answered every question with enthusiasm and laughter. Tony knew, of course, that Loki would have been punished for a good portion of his pranks, but there were some where Tony _knew_ Loki hadn’t been caught. 

He was a suspect, sure, but Loki was damn good at covering his tracks. (It didn’t mean he wouldn’t have been glared at or retaliation wouldn’t have followed, but it was still a _masterful_ job.)

Tony could have sat watching Loki’s tales long into the night, but unfortunately, it was getting late and Tony _did_ have to go back to the Tower. 

After all, there was no real reason for him to stay. Loki had worked on the spell as much as he could today and he probably wanted to get Tony out of his hair. He’d want some time to himself before Tony showed up tomorrow.

It found them standing awkwardly in Loki’s living room.

“So, um, I’ll be back tomorrow to work on the puzzle box,” Tony said.

“Yes,” Loki agreed. “And I shall work on the spell.”

It was the most stilted conversation they had ever had; stating the obvious, not sure what else to do.

But, then, Loki admitted, quietly, “I enjoyed showing you my pranks.”

“I loved seeing them.”

“Perhaps I could show you more tomorrow?”

Tony felt something in him relaxing. “Yeah, that would be fun.”

Loki smiled back. “I shall look forward to it.”

“Me too,” Tony told him. 

_It’s a date_ , the words almost slipped out before he hurriedly choked them down. It was a casual, throwaway line. It didn’t mean anything but… but… _holy shit_ , maybe it kind of did?

The realisation could have knocked him over, but Loki was completely oblivious to his mental breakdown.

“Goodnight, Stark,” Loki told him before flicking out his seidr and sending Tony and his fox to the penthouse.

And even when he arrived in the safety of his home, Tony remained standing their dumbstruck. He only moved when he felt a paw on his shin. He looked down at CP, and gave a somewhat hysterical laugh.

_First the fox wants Loki, and now so do I._

He was so, utterly, completely, _fucked_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tony working out his feelings early; isn't that a shock XD  
> Hope you liked!


	7. Chapter 7

Tony decided to do the sensible thing about his growing… _interest_ in Loki. He buried his head in the sand and completely ignored it.

He showed up at Loki’s apartment and worked on the puzzle box (or projects on the tablet he now brought with him every day). He ignored Steve’s concerned noises about him being alone with Loki. He pretended that arriving at Loki’s place wasn’t the highlight of his day.

It was _so fucking pathetic_ , but that’s where Tony was.

Loki was working to sever the romantic bond between them while Tony was fostering interest and attraction in his enemy. He had all the good senses and survival instincts of a moth fluttering towards a pretty flame.

What was worse was that his fox seemed to know it. CP wasn’t crying as much when they were apart. He would climb on Tony’s chest at night, curling up against him and nuzzling Tony as if to say, _it will be okay, we’ll be back again soon._

Tony always ended up petting the little fox while feeling guilt churn inside of him. He and Loki were actively trying to sever the bond, and that would mean destroying CP and Ravfi. Tony didn’t want to do that. CP didn’t deserve to stop existing. It might have been a fluke and a bad case of magic that made the fox exist, but now he was _Tony’s_ and he didn’t want to let the fox go.

He might not be able to keep Loki when this was all over, but he could at least try and keep CP.

It was why when he arrived at Loki’s apartment for the fifth day in a row. Tony kept a hold on CP rather than letting him go. CP squirmed, wanting to get to Ravfi, but Tony held firm.

“Stark?” Loki asked, frowning. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to lose CP. I don’t want either of our foxes to disappear when the spell ends. They don’t deserve that. They’re constructs, their _ours_ and I don’t want to hurt them.”

Loki’s expression cleared, and his expression softened. He looked down at Ravfi who was trying to climb up Tony’s leg. The mage bent down and scooped him up into his arms. Tony had hoped he hadn’t read Loki wrong; not since he confessed about constructs he’d created in the past, not since he _named_ Ravfi.

“I don’t want to harm them either,” Loki admitted.

“So, we’ll try to keep them?”

Loki nodded. “But, Stark, if we attempt this, it might make the bond harder to sever. It might also mean we are stuck together for longer.”

 _Good_ , Tony thought, but instantly swallowed down.

“That’s okay,” he answered instead. “They’re worth it.”

“Yes,” Loki said quietly. “They are.”

They both looked down at the fox in their arms. Loki stroked Ravfi’s fur and smiled as he leaned out of Loki’s arms. CP did the same until their snouts were able to touch. They looked so happy, and for a moment, Tony could imagine this was something they could have.

Him and Loki together, Ravfi and CP in their arms. The four of them as a family.

Yet, the moment the thought crossed his mind, Tony had to fight down a bitter laugh. It was a useless, pathetic fantasy and Tony forcibly shoved it out of his mind. He also turned away, taking CP with him. 

The foxes made a noise of complaint, but Tony spoke over them, “Well, we better give them their cuddle time. Who knows when it’ll end? Sooner rather than later, right? You’ve got a spell to break and I’ve got a puzzle box to solve. No point wasting time.”

There was a brief pause before Loki said, “Yes, of course.”

He didn’t bring Ravfi over to the couch where Tony had placed CP. Ravfi had to make his own way over from where Loki had dropped him. It made Tony turn, before he could think better of it, but Loki already had his back to Tony.

He was on his way to the desk in the corner where he did all his spellwork. It was only on the other side of the room but it felt a world away.

Tony wanted to close the distance more than anything, to ask for something more then just a forced working relationship. He wanted to say, ‘ _hey, maybe we could stop breaking the spell for a bit, see what could become of you and me?_ ’

But, how could he ask that? 

Tony might have come to enjoy the soft moments with Loki and getting to know the man behind the mask, but who said Loki had done the same? Tony was just one more mortal among many. He might be a genius, he might be able to make Loki _laugh_ , but what did that mean in the grand scheme of things? Nothing.

He was just the unfortunate mortal Loki got stuck with, if he thought he could be anything more, he was only fooling himself.

* * *

Things were a little tense between them for the rest of the day and Tony didn’t want to think about why. He was worried it was him, projecting his wants and desires and making Loki uncomfortable.

They parted earlier than normal, and it came with the consequence of a low ache in his heart that could have been the bond or his own feelings (or maybe a mixture of both). Tony tried to distract himself in the lab, but he didn’t have much luck.

When he went to bed, he cuddled CP a little more, and wished there was another fox at his feet, and a warm body beside him. He was disappointed when he woke up in the morning and hadn’t dreamed.

He still got ready as usual; eating breakfast, showering, changing, putting on cologne (God, he was fucking pathetic) and waiting for Loki to whisk him away as he always did by ten a.m.

But, for the first time in days, Loki’s magic didn’t appear and Tony wasn’t pulled to the penthouse. He frowned and checked his watch; only five minutes past.

He tried not to be worried.

But, when another ten minutes passed, he glanced at CP with concern. “J, is my watch wrong?”

“No, Sir. It is eleven minutes past ten. Mr Liesmith is late.”

“Right, okay, maybe he got stuck in traffic.”

Which was _stupid_ , of course, since Loki had magic and magic didn’t have traffic jams, but Tony had the horrible feeling that something he’d said yesterday had discomfort Loki. What if Tony had inadvertently pushed him away like he did to everyone else he came to give a damn about?

What if Loki had decided he’d rather go through the pain of separation instead of being in Tony’s presence? What if he’d worked out the pathetic mortal had gone and got a _crush_ and now Loki didn’t want anything to do with him?

A thousand painful ‘ _what if’s_ ’ ran through his mind, and not even CP rubbing against his leg and whining with concern could break Tony from his cycling thoughts and crippling self-doubt and insecurity.

Because Loki was a badass magic, Loki was _perfect_ and Tony was a middle-age mortal with hangups and nightmares, and why the hell would Loki even want to-

Tony’s thoughts were cut off by an excited yip - _two_ excited yips and he spun in his seat and let out a breath of pure relief at seeing Loki in the penthouse; unharmed, relaxed and _happy_.

Yet, that happiness brought a thought that crashed through all of Tony’s momentary relaxation. _He’s found a way to break the bond._

It left Tony cold and aching and desperately hoping it wasn’t the case. _Not now, not **yet**_. He wasn’t ready, he needed more _time_. (But, how much would be enough time? And what if he could never _get_ enough?)

“Loki, you’re um, you’re late.” He tried to keep the resignation from his voice.

He seemed to manage it, as Loki’s smile never shifted. “Yes. I was researching the ability to tether magical constructs.”

It wasn’t what Tony expected and so it took him a few moments to register the words, but when he did, it was followed by the _smugness_ in Loki’s tone. There was delight in his eyes and Tony pushed up from his seat, feeling excitement blossom to life within him.

“Magical constructs; like two foxes?”

“Yes,” Loki agreed, his voice a pleased hiss. “And two beings that are made from an energy source that exists through us? Oh, it shall be but _child’s_ play to keep them alive.”

Tony couldn’t hold in his bubbling laugh. CP and Ravfi were going to _live_ , they wouldn’t be erased like a puff of smoke. They were going to be _permanent_.

Tony was filled with such delight that he didn’t think, he merely reacted. He wanted to let his happiness out, and he was an affectionate person. He took the few steps needed to reach Loki and threw his arms around the mage who had made it possible.

He _hugged_ Loki.

And the bond, which had lain dormant within them for so long, leapt at the chance to be utilised; because all their previous touches had been platonic or necessity. The only other time they had touched through want had been in their first dream when their hands had pressed together.

The bond between them _surged_ and a wave of _contentment, joy, mine, forever, warm, safe, **ours**_ , slammed into Tony so hard that he gasped. He also gripped Loki tighter, needing an anchor against the battering of so many emotions. So much _perfect_.

Because that’s what the bond was screaming, it was saying that this and _them_ were perfect, and Tony didn’t see a need to fight it anymore, not when he’d worked it out himself during quiet afternoons and soft moments.

He was so preoccupied with what he was feeling, that it took him a long time to notice that Loki’s arms were around him too. Loki was hugging him back and holding on just as fiercely. Tony sucked in a breath and shifted his head, looking up and finding Loki already watching him. Loki’s eyes were as bright as emeralds and Tony didn’t know who moved or how they got there, but from one moment to the next, their lips were pressing together and Tony was shuddering from how good it felt.

It started chaste, but God, it changed. Loki’s lips became more demanding and Tony opened up beneath him and gave as good as he got. Loki’s hands were fisted in the back of his shirt, and Tony’s hands slid up and tangled in Loki’s hair.

They kissed like they never wanted to stop. Tony didn’t _want_ them to stop. He wanted to do this forever.

Yet, all too soon, right in the middle of leaning into Loki and feeling so much warmth and contentment. Loki not only let him go abruptly but he _shoved_. Tony gasped as their lips disconnected and he stumbled. He probably pulled a little on Loki’s hair, but he still let go. His hands lingered in the air, not touching Loki as the mage took a shaky step back.

“No,” he croaked out. “Stark, we _cannot_.”

“What?” Tony’s heart fell. “Wait. Loki-”

“ _No_ ,” Loki insisted. “No, we are _bonded_ , Stark.” He pulled in a rough breath, his chest heaving with his gasps. “We cannot do this.”

Tony swallowed. He felt sadness wrapping around his heart and squeezing. _Had he only kissed Tony because of the bond? Had the bond caught Loki in a wave of emotions until he’d had no choice but to kiss?_

But, as much as that thought wanted to take root and agonise him, Tony couldn’t believe it. The bond had never _made_ them do anything other than spend time together. Loki also didn’t seem disgusted, he seemed afraid.

It was why Tony’s voice came out soft, “Why not, Loki?”

Loki swallowed. “Because at this point, I am still able to reverse this bond. It is not _complete_. It is there and it draws us together, but there is still a chance to remove it.” He shook his head. “If we continue in this manner, if we _consummate_ it, we will be each other’s forever. This will be your life; myself, our foxes, our _bond_ for all eternity.”

“All eternity?” Tony asked, shocked.

“Yes,” Loki insisted, a pained twist to his lips. “Your length of life will match mine. We will also be forced to spend even greater time together, and our dreams will no longer be our own. Our minds will slide between one another’s as if there is no barrier. This is the most intimate bonding any creature in the universe can share.”

Tony felt like a stiff breeze could knock him over. “I didn’t know that.”

“No.” Loki chuckled ruefully. “Of course you didn’t.” He closed his eyes and pulled in a breath. “And this is something we cannot encourage.”

Tony’s heart fell, but it also _ached_ because Loki looked so downtrodden. Tony wanted to pull the mage into his arms and assure him everything would be okay - but he couldn’t, could he? Not unless he wanted to encourage a bond that was tantamount to _marriage_. 

And fuck, it was one thing to be interested in someone and find them attractive. It was another to want to spend _eternity_ with them.

_No wonder Loki shoved me away._

It hurt. It hurt more than Tony thought it would – because, yeah, eternity was a long time. Committing himself to a _lifetime_ with Loki was a little bit terrifying, but it didn’t feel… bad. It felt exciting. It made him flood with adrenaline and the ache in his chest became a thrum of that same _perfectness_ he’d felt during the kiss.

Because, if this was the strongest bond in the universe, could the universe really allow it to happen when it was _wrong?_

But, Tony didn’t know the answer, and he was afraid to find out. He was afraid to be told that _he_ was the only one feeling that way. After all, Loki was a badass space mage who was _amazing_ from the tip of his helmet to the toes of his boots.

And what was Tony?

Someone Loki wouldn’t dream of being bonded with for life.

“Right,” Tony whispered, trying to keep the pain and rejection from his voice. “Okay.”

Because, fuck that _hurt_. It shouldn’t, because they were supposed to be enemies and they’d never meant to bond, but Tony had been ensnared and fallen for Loki regardless.

Yet, it seemed he was the only one.

“I will work harder to sever the bond between us,” Loki murmured. “It is taking greater root and our time together is only encouraging that.”

 _It forced me to kiss you_ , Tony translated. _And I don’t want to do it again._

Tony barely repressed his cringe. “Then what do you want to do? You can’t work when I’m not in the room.”

Loki’s lips thinned, but he wasn’t looking at Tony, instead, he walked over and pulled Ravfi into his arms. “I will learn to manage it.”

Tony closed his eyes, but there was nothing he could do or say, and by the time he opened them, Tony knew what to expect; the ache in his chest was answer enough.

Loki was already gone. 

But, what he didn’t expect was to find the Asgardian puzzle box in his place. It rested on the floor beside CP. 

Walking over, Tony didn’t hesitate to drop to the floor beside his fox and the box that Loki had left him. CP just climbed into his lap and curled into a ball. Tony ran his fingers through CP’s fur. He didn’t say a word, but then, he didn’t have to.

They were both aching and missing the one they longed for, and while CP didn’t know why he was forced to part from his mate, Tony did.

Sometimes, the one you were falling for just didn’t love you back.

* * *

Tony tried to work in the lab. He tried to distracted himself by spending time with the Avengers (but all they wanted to know was how soon the spell would be broken. They kept telling him it was a _good_ thing he wasn’t with Loki. CP gave a pitiful whine, and Tony felt much the same and hurried to go back to the penthouse.)

He ended up working on the puzzle box. It still _hurt_ , but it reminded him of Loki, and sometimes, the ache was almost manageable. Maybe the bond knew it was a gift from Loki? Tony didn’t know, but it made him _feel_ more connected to Loki.

JARVIS wasn’t oblivious to his mood.

“Sir,” he tried tentatively when Tony had been staring at the box for five minutes, CP curled up on his lap. “I must admit my concern for your health and wellbeing.”

Tony smiled humourlessly. “Oh? Why is that? Something to do with a fox and my _life bond_ with an enemy?”

“It seems to me, Sir, your concern is not that the life bond exists, but that it shall cease.”

Tony flinched and CP looked up at him for the movement. He instantly started patting the fox. “What would I do with a lifebond, J? All eternity tied to one person? You know me and my track record for relationships.”

There was a pause, before: “I do believe, Sir, that relationships do not work when both parties are unsuited. It is my understanding, that when the right person is found so shall the couple’s happiness.”

“Doesn’t work unless both parties want it, J,” Tony answered, his smile so painful it was more of a grimace.

“Mr Liesmith did not seem opposed to your embrace.”

“You and I were looking at two different things.”

“I do not believe so, Sir.”

 _What the fuck would you know?_ Tony wanted to snap, but he forced it down. The words could rest with the agonising ache on his heart. Because life wasn’t a fucking fairytale and happy endings didn’t work for everyone.

Tony didn’t even _know_ if he could be happy with Loki, but fuck, he’d been willing to give it a shot. 

But, Loki didn’t want him, and that was that.

He felt CP nuzzle his hand. He hadn’t realised he’d stopped patting the fox. Tony scratched between CP’s ears. “At least I’ll have you when it’s all over, huh? We can comfort each other.”

CP looked at him sadly, and Tony couldn’t think of anything to say. Instead, he picked up the fox and cuddle him close to Tony’s chest. When he closed his eyes, he saw green eyes and felt Loki’s arms wrapped around him.

And even though it hurt, even though Tony had never signed up for one more fissure to haunt his already wounded heart, Tony couldn’t bring himself to wish the experience away.

He’d met the man underneath Loki’s mask, he’d seen him smile and felt his touch. They’d laughed together and had fun – they’d also kissed, for one glorious perfect moment.

And Tony had learnt a long time ago to hold onto the moments that made him happy. There were too few of them, and he didn’t want to forget their warmth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Tony! All the feels, all the pain. Poor bb. You think they could get some happiness after a kiss? Alas, not today. Maybe next week on the final chapter ;)
> 
> Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it :D


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is late guys, I'm going through a real "I don't want to look at a screen" phase and can't sit down for long periods. I blame inactivity from hurting my ankle. ~~i WAAAAANT TO BREAK FREEEEEE.~~
> 
> So all I'm really doing is writing on a computer disconnected from the internet and then doing things unconnected from computer or phone ^^;;
> 
> ANYWAY. It just means maybe a few less updates and not as fast comment replies. Sorry! Hopefully I'll be back up and posting/replying again soon :)

When Tony fell asleep that night, he was plagued by discontent. It made him toss and turn and even when he drifted off, he would woke up an hour later, feeling a pressure on his chest and hearing a pained cry from CP.

He tried to sleep three times, but in the end, he gave up and went to the lab. CP was back to constantly crying at his feet and scratching at his legs. Tony ignored him. He even snapped at the fox, feeling angry and unhappy and just wanting it to _stop_.

CP’s tail had tucked between his legs and he’d slunk off to sit with DUM-E. It made Tony feel guilty and even more depressed. He forced himself to ignore it and try to work on a suit.

It didn’t work.

When CP eventually came back to him and nudged his ankle with his nose. Tony immediately picked up the fox and hugged him close. Whispering an apology against static fur. It didn’t ease the other pain they were both feeling, but at least he wasn’t guilty on top of everything.

Tony must have spent three hours in the lab, trying and failing to do anything. He knew he must look a mess; that he was pale and drawn. He just wanted to lay his head down and go to sleep, but he knew it wouldn’t work.

He just _wanted_ to curl up in Loki’s arms and sleep like he had during their second shared dream; when they’d been in the foxes’ burrow and everything had felt _right_.

Every fibre of his being was calling out to Loki. Tony knew that it was the bond, but unlike before when he could separate his own feelings from the sensation, now it was something different. It amplified his emotions. He wanted to be with Loki, he _wanted_ to kiss him, and the bond knew it. He yearned to grab the other man and keep him near, and the magic of their connection exacerbated it.

It wasn’t love yet—it was too early for that—but there was the potential for something deeper if only they let it grow. This _could_ be love, but instead of feeling uplifting, it was depressing.

And, in the end, it got too much. Tony dropped his cheek down on his workbench and closed his eyes. He didn’t try to sleep, he just tried to rest. He felt like absolute shit and he just wanted everything to fucking _stop_.

He just wanted to be with Loki.

And maybe it was the magic word, or maybe it was that Loki wasn’t faring any better than him, but one way or another, Tony was sitting there when he felt a shimmer and the world lurched. 

He wasn’t standing upright, he was slumped over a desk and when he arrived, he was unbalanced and would have fallen flat on the floor of strong arms hadn’t caught him and kept him upright. Tony just leant into them, and when there was no resistance, he kept leaning until his head pressed against a strong chest.

Tony let out a soft breath and closed his eyes. “ _Loki._ ”

Everything felt so much better.

“We need to rest,” Loki told him, sounding as drained as Tony felt. “The side-effects have worsened.”

Tony nodded. “Yeah.”

He wasn’t sure what he was answering or agreeing to, all that mattered was that he was with Loki. When Loki tried to pull away, Tony made a noise of complaint, but Loki shushed him, “The bed, Anthony, we need to get on the bed.”

 _Anthony_ , the name sent warmth throughout his entire body and he smiled. He also allowed Loki to separate them enough that Tony could lift his head and look around. It was Loki’s bedroom and the knowledge sent a surge of pleasure and interest through him.

Yet, he didn’t look around for long before Loki was grabbing his wrist and leading him towards the rumpled sheets and animal furs. Loki climbed down first and Tony was only a moment behind. It felt like a dream and yet, Tony knew it was real.

Loki’s arms were open and Tony curled into them, holding Loki close and closing his eyes. He felt rather than saw their foxes jump onto the bed and curl up at their feet. Tony didn’t turn to look, instead he breathed in the scent of Loki and relaxed for the first time in a long time.

Warm arms came around him and Tony’s whole body sang; _us, forever, this, yes, happy, bond, **match of my soul**._

The last phrase rang out the loudest and Tony felt confused, but not enough to protest. All he cared about was the furs that were pulled on top of him; everything smelt like Loki and he could feel the mage’s heartbeat under his ear; slow and steady.

Loki was already half-asleep and Tony was close behind.

They were together, they were _safe_ and Tony let the perfection of the moment send him into a deep, blissful sleep.

* * *

Tony woke up slowly; he felt so content that he didn’t want to lose the moment. Yet, the feeling of fingers carding through his hair was a siren song he couldn’t resist. 

He blinked open his eyes and tilted his head, looking up to find peaceful green eyes watching him. Loki looked as relaxed as Tony felt. Tony knew without looking that their foxes were still at the edge of the bed, curled around their life mate.

 _Match of my soul_ , the words flittered back through Tony’s mind. He knew what it meant, even if it seemed impossible to believe.

His voice was rough from sleep. “This bond wasn’t an accident was it?”

“No,” Loki admitted. “A bond of this nature cannot form without certain compatibilities.”

“Such as being perfect for each other.” He swallowed. “Soulmates exist, don’t they?”

A hint of hesitance finally crested Loki’s eyes. “They are rare. So rare that I long assumed they were a myth.”

“When did you work out that was what we were?”

Loki’s eyes flicked away. “I had my suspicions, but I… Anthony, I didn’t believe it was possible, not until yesterday morning.”

“When we kissed,” Tony acknowledged.

“I was certain it was the bond influencing you,” Loki whispered. “How could you _possibly_ have wanted it otherwise?” He laughed, but the sound was bitter. “I made myself perform certain tests. Things, I had dismissed at the beginning.” He swallowed. “But they only confirmed the truth.”

“We’re soulmates,” Tony said quietly.

It was something he should have scoffed at, and, at the beginning of this whole situation, he would have done just that. He would have gone ‘ _no fucking way_ ’ and demanded a scientific explanation. He would have said, ‘ _no way do I have some mystical soul bond to him_ ’ – but that was then, and this was now.

Tony had a magical fox and had taken magic _lessons_. He’d been around Loki enough to know this wasn’t a lie. He _trusted_ Loki, not just because of the vístskyldr but because he’d gotten to know him.

“I am sorry, Anthony,” Loki said, “but I cannot break this bond. There is not a force in the universe that could sever us.” He felt Loki’s fingers hesitate but they soon began stroking his hair once more. “We share a bond more coveted than anything in the Nine.”

The words gave Tony pause and he held Loki’s gaze. “You don’t want to break it do you? Even if we could, you wouldn’t want to.”

Loki’s lips parted and something almost _guilty_ flashed through his eyes, but instead of denying it he admitted, “No. I haven’t wanted to lose our connection for some time. I enjoyed my time with you, Anthony. I worried that when it ended, so would our companionship.”

Tony sighed and curled his arms a little tighter around Loki. “I worried about that too. I’ve been worried about it for days. Hell, I thought it was only _me_ who wanted something more between us.”

“No,” Loki said fiercely. “It is not only you.”

Tony smiled and he shifted, letting his cheek rest on Loki’s chest. They were quiet for a time, simply enjoying the knowledge that their feelings were mutual, that while the bond between them might be permanent, it was something more than just a magical glitch. This was magic older and more powerful than Loki. It was something as old as the universe.

But, that only formed more problems and raised more questions.

“People won’t be happy when they find out.”

Loki’s arms tightened. “They will not stop us. They will not stop _me_. I will not let a few disapproving glares keep us apart.”

“Neither will I,” Tony insisted. “But it doesn’t change the fact we’re on opposite sides.”

Loki fell quiet, but his hands never stopped running over Tony’s back and up through his hair.

“Perhaps,” he said, “I could be convinced to minimise my chaos while I am on Midgard.”

Tony lifted his head, surprised at the offer. “Loki, I don’t want you to stop being who you are.”

Loki’s lips curved in a smile. His hand came to brush Tony’s cheek affectionately. “I appreciate that, Anthony, but I never said I would _stop_.”

Tony ran the words back through his mind, before snagging on the important bit. “Only on Earth, only where it would put us on opposite sides.”

“Yes,” Loki answered.

He looked ready to say more, but Tony didn’t give him the chance, he was too delighted and he darted in and pressed their mouths together in a kiss.

The surge of _delight_ that erupted in them was overwhelming. It was the bond but it was also _them_ ; it was their feelings amplified by a hundred and they both moaned into the kiss. 

And fuck, if this was a kiss, what would the _sex_ be like? It almost made Tony moan again, but he bit down on it. They were still working things out, sex could (and _would_ ) come later.

Tony pulled back, but he still lingered close, not quite willing to let a gap form between them. He was practically laying on top of Loki, but it still wasn’t enough and he brought their foreheads to gently rest together.

“You’re going to have to take me off-world with you,” Tony whispered. “I want to see your tricks firsthand. I want to _help_.” He laughed. “If I’m going to be bonded to you for centuries, I better learn how to fight and prank at your side.”

Loki sucked in a small, shocked breath. “Truly?”

“Of course,” Tony insisted. “I want you in my lab too, working on projects with me, teaching me magic. I want it _all_.”

Loki kissed him and Tony melted into it, but it didn’t last anywhere near long enough. Loki was cupping his cheeks when he pulled back. His eyes were blazing.

“My perfect match, my _bonded_. What a gift you make. You accept this so easily. You accept _me_.” He laughed. “Oh, we will be a pair that realms will fear. We will be something the universe will _envy_. The first soulbond in thousands of years.”

Smugness rushed through him, along with joy and excitement. Tony wanted everything Loki said. He wanted to wow the universe and hold Loki's hand - because this felt so _right_. It was more right than anything else in his life had ever been. And maybe that should be worrying, maybe he should rear back from it and start to panic – but he didn’t. He _couldn’t_. Tony knew in his heart that this wasn't manufactured or wrong. This was the most natural thing in the world. This was _them_ and they were perfect pieces slotting into place. 

Tony was certain that if given the chance and the right circumstances that even without a bond he would be exactly where he was; in Loki’s arms, falling in love with him.

Only, now he had something better; he had eternity, two foxes, and a connection that let him know he would never spend a day, a month or his _life_ alone; he would have Loki and CP and Ravfi (and JARVIS and the bots, and a _family_.)

“It’s going to be amazing, Lokes,” Tony told him, meaning every word.

And in response, Loki smiled; his dimples showed and a bright light was shining from his eyes. He was so _happy_ and Tony could only lean in and kiss him again.

It was wonderful, it was _perfect_ – and it was interrupted by excited yipping and jumping from their foxes. They broke apart to find CP and Ravfi at the edge of the bed, jumping on the spot and chasing each other in a circle.

It looked an awful lot like a victory dance.

It made Tony laugh, and Loki’s soft chuckles quickly followed. 

Tony knew it wouldn’t be as simple as this; holding each other in bed, looking at their foxes and knowing this was where they were meant to be.

They would have to contend with the Avengers, with Earth, with _Asgard_. The universe might have put them together, but the people within it would try and tear them apart. People would doubt the legitimacy of their feelings or would try to use the bond against them.

But, Tony knew that they would both rise to the challenge. They were both invested in this, and _committed_ to it and each other.

They were a perfect match with a bond that was created by a fluke and a one in a million chance – and neither of them were going to waste the first bit of luck they’d had in years.

They had been given a person who could understand them inside and out and who would _support_ them through thick and thin. They had spent most of their lives with no one who could fix them in their darker moments or stand beside them in their triumphs. 

They had imagined love and happiness was out of their reach, but when it fell into their lap so perfectly, they would be fools not to reach for each other possessively and hold on just as tightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANNNNND LOOK AT THAT. THEY GOT THEIR HAPPY ENDING, BY ACTUALLY HAVING A UNIVERSE APPROVED SOULBOND BY ACCIDENT. LUCKY THEM :D
> 
> AND APOLOGISES FOR SHORT CHAPTER BUT NOTHING ELSE WANTED TO HAPPEN. THE BOYS JUST WANTED THEIR HAPPY ENDING ^^;; ~~I was suppose to have more of a build up, but, alas.~~


End file.
